REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Political observer Muhammad AS Hikam said the Constitution protected the Indonesian people to vote based on their religious beliefs. The same protection was also given to the people who did not vote based on religion. “Both are justified constitutionally,” said AS Hikam when contacted by Republika.co.id on Wednesday (March 29). 

According to Hikam, it was not right to force other people to vote based on religion. “Once again, it is prohibited to force other people to vote based on religion,” said Hikam. 

He said the Constitution and law did not only protect people’s right to vote based on religion. It also protected people’s right based on professionalism, closeness and vision suitability, and the same party or community organization. 

Another political observer from Paramadina University Djayadi Hanan said, in a democratic society like Indonesia, to vote based on religion was a common practice. “Indeed, in determining a political consistency, sociological factors such as religion can be a basic guidance,” he said. 

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