Muslim group urges religious crackdown

Muslim group urges religious crackdown

JAKARTA: A group of Muslim hardliners called on the House of
Representatives on Wednesday to begin work on a bill that would
limit the construction of other religions' places of worship.

The activists, from the Muslims Forum, said the regulation
would serve to prevent unchecked proselytization by each of the
religions in the country.

"The existing joint ministerial decree on the construction of
places of worship is not enough. It must be turned into law,"
leader of the group and popular dangdut singer Rhoma Irama said
during a meeting with House speaker Agung Laksono.

Rhoma claimed that even in Western countries, religious
communities had to secure a permit from a particular neighborhood
before building places of worship.

Many groups have said the joint decree issued in 1969 by the
then minister of religious affairs Mohammad Dahlan and home
affairs minister Amir Machmud, was against human rights and the
principles of religious freedom. -- JP