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Indigenous faiths allowed on ID card
After previously allowing citizens to leave the religion column on their ID cards blank, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo announced Wednesday that followers of indigenous faiths would have to cite their religious preferences on ID cards
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fter previously allowing citizens to leave the religion column on their ID cards blank, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo announced Wednesday that followers of indigenous faiths would have to cite their religious preferences on ID cards.
'We have instructed all officials throughout the country to comply with this. They must allow citizens to write whatever their faith is on the ID cards,' Tjahjo said.
Tjahjo, a politician from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), warned officials not to force citizens to adopt one of the officially recognized religions.
'Don't force people, for example, to choose Islam if their faith resembles Islamic teachings because it's not the same; or Catholic if the faith resembles its teachings,' Tjahjo said.
'It's up to the people to put indigenous faiths on the cards,' he said, adding his office had been set up to carry out regular monitoring and ensure the policy was thoroughly implemented. (ren)(+++)
