Nondenominational faiths put in religious affairs

Nondenominational faiths put in religious affairs

JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly ad hoc
committee deliberating the draft 1998/2003 State Policy
Guidelines agreed yesterday to admit the controversial issue of
nondenominational faiths in the religious affairs section.

The approval, reached after grueling debate, will mean a
review of the 1993/1998 policy guidelines which places the faiths
under the education and cultural section.

Committee member Muhammad Buang of the United Development
Party (PPP) faction said after yesterday's session that the
inclusion of the faiths was intended to prevent them from
becoming new religions or religious teachings.

"The future policy guidelines will confirm that the faiths are
not religions and will suggest that the government control their
growth. In the long run, we want followers of the faiths to
eventually share one of the five religions," Buang said.

Indonesia recognizes only Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism,
Buddhism and Hinduism as the official religions.

PPP persistently challenged the plan to include
nondenominational faiths in the religious development section as
sponsored by dominant faction Golkar. PPP finally accepted
Golkar's motion with the condition that it be noted that the
faiths are not religions and its followers must be "guided" to
eventually embrace one of the five recognized faiths.

The compromise was apparently such a relief that Golkar's
representative in the deliberation, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana,
traded kisses with PPP deputy chairwoman Aisyah Amini outside the
session room after hearing the news.

Committee chairman R. Hartono and Buang joined the duo,
laughing loudly before the watchful eyes of dozens of reporters.

It was later discovered that Hartono's presence in the
spontaneous little celebration was to ask for Buang's signature
of approval on behalf of PPP. Buang represents the Moslem-based
faction in the deliberation which will last until Jan. 23 next
year.

Buang and Hardiyanti told reporters that several minor issues
dealing with nondenominational faiths required further
deliberation.

Another Golkar representative, Quraish Shihab, hailed the
Assembly's decision to include the faiths in religious
development.

"Followers of the faiths are like naughty children who need
guidance from their parents, so that they won't go astray," said
Shihab, rector of the state-run Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic
Institute.

All of the five factions in the Assembly also agreed that
school children and students will receive religious education
according to their respective religions.

Currently, religious-oriented schools and universities teach
their students one compulsory religious subject, regardless of
the students' faith.

In religious affairs, the 1998/2003 State Policy Guidelines,
if passed, will order the President to draw up a bill on haj
affairs to end irregularities that have marred the administration
of the Moslem pilgrimage.

Buang said the Assembly committee was negotiating a Golkar
offer to introduce a section on human rights protection, rather
than accepting the motions of PPP and fellow minority faction the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) to establish a separate decree.

"Everything can be negotiated through a friendly deliberation.
We will work together for the best decision," he said.

The other Assembly committee in charge of nonstate policy
guidelines is also deliberating the motion on the human rights
charter. (amd)