'Community approval is needed'

The recent forcible closures of churches in Jakarta, Bekasi, Bandung and Surakarta by hard-line Muslim groups has raised questions about religious tolerance in the country. The Jakarta Post interviewed residents about the issue.

Burdah Baridah, 27, is a social worker at a non-governmental organization in East Jakarta:

I do not think there is a strict need for building permits for places of worships. However, religious activities at houses should at least be approved by the people in the neighborhood.

I mean, no one wants his area turned into a busy neighborhood, right?

Dahlia, in her 30s, works at a company in Kemang, South Jakarta. She lives with her family in Kalibata, South Jakarta:

Personally, I do not take the issue seriously. I have lots of friends of different religions and I have not had any problems with them. We are supposed to join hands to make a better world, not worry about such trivial stuff. If they want to build a place of worship close to my house, I would not mind as long as they told me about it so I could anticipate possible nuisances, like parked cars.

Of course, people who want to build a place of worship should consult first with local community leaders, like the neighborhood heads. It is just a matter of anticipating possible disturbances.

-- The Jakarta Post