Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo (Tempo/Dhemas Reviyanto)

Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has said that he will consider revising a controversial joint agreement letter (SKB) between himself and the Religious Affairs Minister on construction permits for houses of worship.

Tjahjo is particularly concerned about the requirement that prospective builders enlist the support of 90 people living near their proposed site because it is often prevents adherents of minority religions from constructing new houses of worship.

'€œThat requirement should be revised. Personally, I believe that the number of supporters needed should be reduced or there should be no need for any approval,'€ Tjahjo said in Jakarta on Wednesday as reported by kompas.com.

He said that he would discuss a revision with Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Syaifudin and Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Panjaitan before taking the issue to a Cabinet meeting.

He said that the government had an obligation to facilitate the faiths of all citizens and the existing regulation had frequently sparked social conflict.

According to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle politician, the key consideration for the government regarding permits for houses of worship was simply possession of the necessary building construction permit (IMB). (bbn)(+)

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