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National scene: Ministry prepares bill to protect believers
Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said on Tuesday the ministry was preparing a draft religious followers protection bill, one of the early priorities of President Joko âJokowiâ Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kallaâs administration
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eligious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said on Tuesday the ministry was preparing a draft religious followers protection bill, one of the early priorities of President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla's administration.
'This law needs to be drafted to protect all followers of religions. Although the legal basis of the protection of religious believers is stipulated in articles 28 and 29 of the 1945 Constitution, we don't yet have a law, which is organic in nature, on the matter,' he said as quoted by Antara in Ambon, Maluku, on Monday evening.
He said it was a fact that religious intolerance and religious freedom violation cases had often occurred sporadically. Therefore, the government is composing a law that focuses on freedom and the protection of religious communities.
'This law actually offers a breakthrough that will hopefully be in line with our common aspirations,' said Lukman.
The minister called on all parties to contribute to the composing of legislation that was just and protective in nature to religions and religious believers, both minority and majority groups.
He said civil society groups, academics, religious practitioners and mass organizations concerned with the issue were welcome to convey their input to the Religious Affairs Ministry.
