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)