"All parties are responsible to realize harmony. If an issue arises, it must be resolved through consensus involving parties responsible for maintaining harmony," Qoumas said in a statement released on Monday.
A video earlier went viral on social media that depicts an individual attempting to dismiss a religious worship activity in Lampung and accusing it for having no permit.
In response to the video, Qoumas deplored the action and called for resolving the matter through deliberations.
The government has issued various regulations on religious activities, he remarked.
He added that local authorities must respond to issues regarding places of worship in their regions appropriately and in accordance with prevailing laws.
He explained that the Joint Religious Affairs Minister and Home Affairs Minister Decision No. 9 of 2006 and No. 8 of 2006 provided guidance to regional leaders to maintain religious harmony and regulate the establishment of places of worship.
Article 18 of the joint ministerial decision stipulates that a permit must be received from the district head or mayor for the use of a non-place of worship as a temporary place of worship by considering aspects of site feasibility and public harmony and order.
"All parties must respect the process that has been regulated. Regional authorities are also expected to play their role to ensure religious communities in their region can perform their worship activities safely and conveniently," Qoumas affirmed.
Moreover, the same decision also directs regional authorities to facilitate religious communities struggling to fulfill the criteria to develop their places of worship.
"Article 14 of the joint decision dictates that regional authorities are required to facilitate the provision of a place of worship if prerequisites are not fulfilled," the minister remarked.
The minister expressed hope that no other incidents of dismissal of religious worship activities in the future and emphasized that the ministry's offices in regions should play their role in addressing such issues.
"I have also appealed to the local Religious Affairs Ministry offices at the provincial and district or city levels to be proactive in resolving these issues, and they must be in the front line to realize public harmony," Qoumas remarked.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Anton Santoso
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