REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice-President Jusuf Kalla has confirmed that the religion column on people's Identity Cards will not be omitted just because some follow religions not recognized by the government.
"It will not be omitted. Those who do not follow any recognized religion may just leave the column empty," he told newsmen at his office.
He was speaking in response to a proposal to allow citizens, who follow religions outside the ones recognized by the government or other faiths, to just leave the column empty. The matter has now become a polemic.
Six religions are recognized by the government. They are Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Konghucu (Confucianism).
Jusuf Kalla said Indonesian citizens who do not follow any of the religions may leave the religion column on their IDs empty.
"For example, if the person is not a Muslim, a Catholic, a Christian, a Buddhist, a Hindu, a Konghucu or say he is a Shiite or a traditional believer, he may just leave the column empty," he explained.
The vice-president noted that religion was a personal issue and not a state affair.
"Someone who wants to leave the religion column empty must not be forced to do otherwise," he stressed.
He emphasized that those who chose not to fill the religion column would not be treated any different than those who filled the column.
He assured there would not be any discrimination against them.
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