Golkar’s religious roadshow, led by Priyo Budi Santoso.

On 28th August a delegation from the religion department of Golkar met with leaders of the Clerics’ Council, Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI), at the Istiqal mosque, Jakarta, to discuss how the MUI and Golkar could together develop strategies for ensuring religious harmony and preventing the break-up of the country into warring tribes.

Priyo Budi Santoso.

Priyo Budi Santoso of Golkar, who replaced the amorous Yahya Zaini as the head of the party’s Religion section, says his party is worried about:

religious radicalism and terrorism which threaten the existence of Indonesia.

and was well suited to the job of preventing this because:

Golkar is a moderate party which is nationalist and religious.

Because of this Golkar was planning on meeting with lots of religious leaders around the country, including the Churches’ Association, (Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja Indonesia, PGI), Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), and Muhammadiyah, republika in addition to the MUI, in order to:

prevent the break-up of the country through sectarian differences, and to create inter-faith tolerance and harmony.

Umar Shihab of the MUI said what was needed now was a guarantee of religious freedom, freedom to worship, without feeling ashamed and without disturbing those of other faiths. For example, he complained that Muslims had their freedom of religion restricted in that it is easier to find halal products in Singapore and Thailand, and so:

There needs to be a law to protect the right of people to abide by their religion, to live in accordance with its rules.

He also hoped the government could get busy with enacting the anti-pornography law, and a new marriage law. mediaindo

Later that day the roadshow moved on to Muhammadiyah headquarters, where Din Syamsuddin said he was chuffed to meet representatives of his former employers, and Priyo Budi Santoso again hoped that Muhammadiyah was an organisation that could struggle for moderation in religion. republika