'Indonesia is perfect example of pluralism'

Dozens of cultures and beliefs made Indonesia a nation long before it declared Independence on August 17, 1945. The recent edicts issued by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) that, among other things, bans pluralism and joint prayers, and has challenged the nation's "Unity in Diversity" philosophy. The Jakarta Post asked a few residents their thoughts on this issue.

Farid A. Rakun, 22, is an architecture student who lives in Kemanggisan, West Jakarta:

History has taught us that progressive thinking cannot be repressed.

In regard to the controversial MUI edicts only one thing needs to be said. It may sound cliche, but people really do need to live with differences.

Conflicts over differences are only a waste of time, money, energy, not to mention lives.

We have lived with these kinds of differences for ages. We have also seen conflicts that people have thought were derived from these differences, when in fact, they were only politics.

Nurida Hasaputri, 30, is a social science teacher at an international school who lives in Cinere, Depok:

Pluralism, to me, is a very broad subject. Indonesia is a perfect example of it. Differences occur in this country not only in terms of religion and belief, but also race, culture and even mentality.

Before we comment on something, we need to make sure that we are talking about the same thing. The MUI edict on pluralism, for example, might be issued on the basis of a very different understanding this word.

It is normal that there should be a variety of opinion about something. What matters is how we deal with it.

-- The Jakarta Post