During a discussion here on Tuesday, director for religious beliefs and customary communities (KMA) at the ministry, Sjamsul Hadi, said that his side is making efforts to support the fulfillment of the rights while awaiting the passage of the Bill on Customary Law Communities.
"The KMA Directorate is pursuing an alternative, namely a draft presidential regulation on the rights of customary communities. This marks a transitioning position while awaiting the acceleration of efforts for customary communities' recognition and protection," he explained.
Regarding the draft regulation, he acknowledged that the process took a long time and has now reached the stage of meetings between ministries and institutions.
Discussions on the regulation have covered the fulfillment of the rights of customary communities, which include recognition and protection, empowerment, education, cultural expression, and sacred places.
Regional governments will work to accelerate the fulfillment of the rights of customary communities.
The recognition and protection of customary communities will involve identifying communities in districts, cities, and provinces, as well as the determination of customary communities by the district head, mayor, or governor in accordance with their authority.
Hadi denied that the draft regulation is a diversion, given that the Bill on Customary Law Communities has not been passed into law despite being included in the National Legislation Program several times since 2014.
The draft regulation, which is currently being pushed, focuses on services for customary communities and their beliefs.
Regarding recognition efforts at the regional government level, he said that his ministry is supporting them by making efforts at the grassroots level, but this has been hampered by differences in the views of regional governments.He affirmed that he will collaborate with the Ministry of Home Affairs to map regional governments that would be prioritized to be supported in determining customary communities.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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