ORGANIZATIONS REJECT IDEA TO SCRAP RELIGIOUS IDENTITY ON ID CARDS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Nov 13 (Antara) - The government's idea to leave the religion column blank on identity (ID) cards has been rejected by several people, particularly Muslim organizations, alleging that it contradicts the state philosophy of Pancasila.         The latest objection was voiced by the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), which argued that the religion column on ID cards should not be left blank as it holds significance for the nation and state.         "We have decided to reject the idea to scrap the religion column on ID cards," Umar Shihab, the chairman for MUI's Islamic Solidarity Affairs, stated here on Thursday.         The idea to scrap or mention other religions on the ID column has the potential to harm the interests of the nation and state because it could trigger polemics, he affirmed.          Umar proposed that the existing law on the issue should be implemented.          "The law is already relevant, acceptable, and based on aspirations. So, it must be implemented. This is an outlook adopted by Indonesian Muslims with regard to this issue," Umar noted.          MUI Deputy Chairman Ma'ruf Amin emphasized that mentioning a person's religion on his or her ID card constituted a personal identity, which is protected by Law No. 24/2013.          Based on Law No. 24/2013 on Population Administration, the religions recognized by the government in Indonesia are Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Konghucu (Confucianism).            There are also followers of traditional beliefs in the country such as "Kejawen", "Sunda Wiwitan", "Kaharingan", and "Malim."      The MUI also rejected the inclusion of other religions, such as traditional beliefs, on the ID cards, except the six aforementioned ones already recognized by the government.          As per Law No. 24 of 2013, which is a revision of Law Number 23 of 2006 on population administration, the religion of the cardholder mentioned in the religion column in an ID card must be recognized by the government.         "If an Indonesian citizen professes a religion beyond the six recognized religions in Indonesia, then he or she can leave the religion column on his or her ID card blank, but his or her religion must be registered in the administration's population records," he pointed out.          He stated that as any traditional belief cannot be considered to be a religion, so it is not required to mention it on the ID card's religion column.      "We will submit this decision to the government," Amin noted.          The same objection was also raised by Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdhatul Ulama (NU) and the youth wings of the country's second-largest Islamic organization, Muhammadiyah.          Earlier, newly installed Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo urged the local government officials to allow adherents of non-officially recognized religions to not state their religious beliefs on official documents, including ID cards.          The minister's decision to implement the policy was intended to respect those who do not follow one of the religions recognized by the government. He said that followers of traditional beliefs that have not been officially recognized by the government may leave the religion column in their ID cards blank.          The NU has objected to the home affairs minister's decision to allow the religion column in the people's ID cards to be left blank.      K.H. Said Aqil Siroj, the general chairman of the executive board of NU, remarked on Friday that the Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo's decision has hurt the sentiments of religious followers in the country.          "Frankly speaking, I was disappointed with the minister's statement because it hurts the feelings of followers of not only Islam but also other religions," he noted.          He reiterated that religion is an important identity, which must be respected.          Said Aqil said he was planning to tender an official protest to the government in connection with the policy.          The youth wing of the Islamic organization Muhammadiyah also questioned the government's plan to scrap the religion column on ID cards, arguing that the plan had no legal basis.        "If the plan is approved, it will contradict the spirit of the first tenet of the Pancasila state ideology and Article 29, paragraph 1 and paragraph 2 of the 1945 Constitution," Saleh Partaonan Daulay, the chief of the organization's youth wing, noted in a text message on Friday.          The first tenet of Pancasila and Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution explicitly affirms that each citizen is obliged to believe in one supreme God.          Saleh, who is also the chief of the House Commission VIII, stated that religion reflects the fact that a citizen believes in one supreme God.          "That is why scrapping the religion column on ID cards amounts to allowing citizens not to believe in one supreme God," he emphasized.          In the meantime, Andi Najmi Fuaidi, the head of NU's Legal Aid and Counseling Institute, said the decision to allow the religion column to be left blank meant that the government is having a lenient approach towards groups who do not acknowledge God.          He feared that this condition could create social upheaval in the community.          Andi remarked that Indonesia is a country that honors God as mentioned in the first principle of the Pancasila state ideology.  He said the idea to allow people to leave the religion column blank is contrary to Pancasila.         "All laws must refer to Pancasila, and therefore, no policy which is against Pancasila is acceptable," he affirmed.          However, Vice President Jusuf Kalla has confirmed that the religion column on people's ID cards will not be omitted simply because some follow religions that are not recognized by the government.         "It will not be omitted. Those who do not follow any recognized religion may just leave the column blank," he informed newsmen at his office on Friday.         Jusuf Kalla remarked that Indonesian citizens who do not follow any of the government-recognized religions may leave the religion column on their ID cards blank.         "For instance, if the person is not a Muslim, Catholic, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Konghucu, or say he is a traditional believer, he may just leave the column empty," he explained.     ***3*** (T.A014/INE/a014) EDITED BY INE (T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 13-11-2014 19: