REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice President Jusuf Kalla highlighted the need for the House of Representatives (DPR) to pay attention to the proposed discussion of the bill on Islamic boarding school (pesantren) and religious education. He believed it has to be reviewed.

"I think it should be noted, lest the Sunday schools or recitations ask for permission later," the vice president stated while conversing with newsmen at the Vice President's Office here on Tuesday.

Kalla remarked that every religion has its own way of instilling religious education in its people. Hence, with the existence of the Draft Law, it is feared that the government will overly regulate the religious life of the community.

"Christianity and Catholicism have Sunday schools for children, and Islam also has recitations or the Quran education park. If all of these are regulated by the government, it will be difficult," Kalla stated.

The DPR, through a plenary meeting on Oct 16, had approved the existence of the Bill on Pesantren and Religious Education as a proposed initiative from the Indonesian Parliament. According to the DPR, the discussion of the draft bill had received inputs from several leaders of pesantren, early school leaders, and academics.

However, the proposed bill was criticized by various parties, including the Alliance of Churches in Indonesia, the Indonesian Church Guardian Conference, and the Muhammadiyah Central Executive Board. Law and Human Rights Council of Muhammadiyah Central Executive Board Chairman Trisno Raharjo, after meeting with the vice president, noted that the government and Parliament needed to involve relevant parties to discuss the bill.

Muhammadiyah deems it necessary to conduct a comprehensive study involving parties from every official religion in Indonesia.

Muhammadiyah warned that religious education in Indonesia does not only concern Islam but also Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

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