PPP presses for non-denominational faith exclusion

PPP presses for non-denominational faith exclusion

JAKARTA (JP): The minority United Development Party (PPP) at
the People's Consultative Assembly pressed yesterday for the
exclusion of the non-denominational faith, which it feared could
become a "new religion", from the next state policy guidelines'
chapters on religious affairs.

The 1993/1998 State Policy Guidelines put the non-
denominational faith, known here as the Kepercayaan Terhadap
Tuhan Yang Mahaesa (Belief in One God), under the policy on
religious affairs.

The 1978/1982 guidelines were the first to treat the non-
denominational faith on the same footing with religions, a
highly-controversial step that angered many religious
communities, especially Moslems.

PPP spokesman Zarkasih Nur told the Assembly committee in
charge of state policy guidelines that the non-denominational
faith, which had been recognized by the government over the past
20 years, should go under the discussion on culture.

"(Followers of) the non-denominational faith have turned it
into a new religion by developing their own ritual and social
system such as marriage and oath procedures.

"For 20 years this peculiar system of belief has sparked
adversaries, legal confusion, social problems and has sown seeds
of potential conflicts," he said.

The government recognizes only Islam, Catholicism,
Protestantism, Hinduism and Buddhism as the state's official
religions. The non-denominational faith is allowed to grow as a
morality teaching.

There are reportedly 245 non-denominational faith
organizations currently under the supervision of the Ministry of
Education and Culture.

PPP secretary general Tosari Widjaja, who also attended the
session, said the minority faction would stick to its stance, and
would press for a vote if necessary.

"We will fight it out to defend our proposal because it is
concerned with aqidah (Moslem religious teaching). We bear the
mandate of the ummah. We would be sinning if we do not deliver
it," he told the reporters after the session.

Moslem scholar and Golkar spokesman, Quraish Shihab, said his
faction opposed PPP's bid because the exclusion of the non-
denominational faith from religious affairs would seclude a group
of Indonesian people who, despite their small size, have equal
rights according to the 1945 Constitution.

"If we separate them, we will let followers of the non-
denominational faith go away from religious teachings and
therefore would inspire them to set up a new or pseudo religion,"
said Shihab, who is also rector of the Jakarta-based Syarif
Hidayatullah State Islamic Institute.

Committee chairman R. Hartono predicted a tough debate on this
issue, based on his experience five years ago when the PPP bid
for the same adjustment on the stipulation. He promised, however,
to personally approach every party for a settlement.

Rule

The Assembly also turned down yesterday a motion to introduce
substantial changes in its internal rules -- which would include
the granting of a special authority for the body to review laws
-- but agreed to revise a minor stipulation on the status of its
sessions.

Chairman of the Assembly's ad hoc committee deliberating the
internal rule draft, Wiranto, said the body's five factions
sustained the PPP faction's demand that committee sessions be
declared open for public.

The old rule stated that the sessions had to be held behind
closed doors, although committee chairpersons could declare
sessions open upon request by all factions.

"We support the proposal because we share a commitment to
enhance transparency in this legislative body," Wiranto said
after the session.

The dominant Golkar faction had asked for transparency in the
committee opening session last week, but it did not make a formal
request for amendment in the rule.

Except for the compromise reached yesterday, the Golkar-
dominated Assembly gave no room for changes in its members'
rights and the number of its factions. The motion was sponsored
by the PPP and its fellow minority faction the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI).

The committee ruled out the PDI's bid to expand Assembly
members' rights with the authority to review laws and the Supreme
Court's verdicts.

"We reached an agreement after inter-faction lobbying that the
Assembly's current authorities remain the same... and there is
no need for extra authority for judicial review," Wiranto said.

The present rule says an Assembly member has the right to
speak, vote, deliver proposals for amendments of Assembly
decrees, appraise the President's policies and nominate a
president and vice president. (09/amd)