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Letters: Permit for Buddha Bar
Fri, 04/03/2009 2:18 PM | Reader's Forum
It is shameful of the Jakarta city administration to issue a license for a bar serving alcohol in an elite residential area, even more so when it is named "Buddha Bar" which, of course, hurts the feelings of the Buddhist people.
Will the administration give permits for the establishments of an "Islam Bar" or a "Jesus or Christ Bar" or a "Krishna/Shiva Bar"?
The city administration needs advice from the Ministry of Religious Affairs or other institutions, as the best guides in these matters. Most of the comments from Western expatriates do not hold water here; neither are they Buddhist nor do they have any respect for religious sentiment in this country; nor do they understand the Indonesian concept of democracy and "freedom of expression".
Our forefathers taught us "equality and goodness for all".
Gulzar
Jakarta
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John Kaung (not verified) — Fri, 04/03/2009 - 4:33pm
I am really sorry to read that the Jakarta city administration issued a license for a bar named “Buddha Bar” which serve alcohol in an elite residential area. If the administration permitted it to name so, the question arises ‘will it give permit for the establishments of an “Islam Bar or Allah Bar” based on equality. If somebody does so, Muslims will, I am sure, get angry at it. This means it has no understanding, respect and sympathy at all for others. Therefore, it is really shameful of the Jakarta city administration to issue a license for it. Actually it reveals real attitude of Muslim religion towards others.