JAKARTA - Head of the Center for Religious Harmony (PKUB) of the Ministry of Religion, Wawan Djunaedi, hopes that all regional heads, including the Mayor of Cilegon Helldy Agustian, fulfill the constitutional rights of each resident to worship.
Regarding the establishment of houses of worship, the attitude of the Regional Head should refer to the Joint Ministerial Regulation (PBM) between the Minister of Religion and the Minister of Home Affairs Number 9 and Number 8 of 2006. It is regulated that the establishment of houses of worship must meet the administrative requirements and technical requirements of building.
There are also special requirements that must be met regarding the establishment of houses of worship.
First, a list of names and Identity Cards (KTP) for users of houses of worship of at least 90 people was ratified by local officials. Second, the support of the local community is at least 60 people who are approved by the lurah/village head.
Third, the recommendation is written by the head of the district/city religious department office. Fourth, the recommendation is written by the district/city FKUB.
If the first requirement is met while the second requirement has not been met, the local government is obliged to facilitate the availability of locations for the construction of houses of worship.
"So, there is no reason whatsoever for regional heads not to facilitate the availability of houses of worship when prospective users have reached 90 people," said Wawan, Thursday, September 8, quoted from the ministry's website.
The Ministry of Religion encourages the Mayor to form a Joint Desk consisting of regional heads, Religious Harmony Forums (FKUB), Ministry of Religion, religious leaders, community leaders, Forkompinda, and mass organizations as an effort to solve problems.
He considered that various parties need clear information that the Decree of the Regent of the Regional Head of Level II Serang Number 189/Huk/SK1975 dated March 28, 1975 could no longer be used as the basis for rejecting the establishment of the church.
First, the regulation was issued at a time when the Muslim population composition in the Cilegon area was 99%, as stated in the consideration of considering the Decree of the Regent in question.
However, the condition of the city of Cilegon has now changed. Referring to data released by BPS in 2010, the compilation of Christians in Cilegon has reached 16,528,513, while Catholics have reached 6,907,873. This amount is equivalent to 9.86 percent. While the composition of non-Muslims as a whole reached 12.82 percent.
"Based on the data on the number of Christian adherents above, of course, the effort to establish a house of worship has met real needs," he continued.
Second, the consideration of considering the 1975 Regent's Decree also refers to the Joint Decree (SKB) of the Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister of Religion Number 1/BER/mdn-mag/1969 whose existence has been revoked and replaced by PMB Number 9 and Number 8 of 2006. In law, there is the principle of lux posterior derogate the legislator, namely the latest law to rule out the old law.
"What is currently in effect is the Joint Regulation of the Minister of Religion and the Minister of Home Affairs Number 9 and Number 8 of 2006," said Wawan.
Third, the Decree of the Regent of 1975, published in the context of responding to Mardiyuana University as a building, not a house of worship. Meanwhile, at that time, Mardiyuana University was used as a church. Therefore, Christian adherents are directed to perform worship in churches in Serang City.
Wawan admitted that his party had met and discussed this issue with the Mayor of Cilegon in April 2022. The Ministry of Religion appealed to the Cilegon City Government to follow the Joint Regulation of the Minister of Religion and the Minister of Home Affairs Number 9 and Number 8 of 2006.
"We also invite FKUB as a religious harmony institution and all components of society to re-implement on the provisions of the applicable legislation," he said.
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