As the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP), both of which are Islamic-based parties, vie to place one of their members in the post of religious affairs minister in the new Cabinet, many have called on president-elect Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to retain the current minister, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, due to his progressive stance on many issues, especially religious minority rights.

Lukman, who was installed in June this year to replace Suryadharma Ali, whom the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named as a graft suspect, has been praised by members of the country’s religious minorities as well as supporters of religious tolerance for his “commitment to upholding the Constitution that protects religious freedom in the country”, according to Hendardi, chairman of the Setara Institute.

Soon after his appointment by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Lukman convened a meeting attended by representatives from several minority religious groups, such as the Ahmadiyah, Shia, Bahai, Sunda Wiwitan (he native faith of the Sundanese) and Parmalim) the native faith of the Batak) communities. The meeting was part of Lukman’s effort to reach out to minority groups who continue to experience discrimination.

Lukman has also won plaudits for his firm statements regarding radicalism, including his condemnation of the growing support for the Islamic State (IS) and his urging of Indonesians not to join the group.

Currently, the Religious Affairs Ministry conducts focus-group discussions that bring together minority religious groups with civil society organizations promoting interfaith dialogue. It is hoped that the meetings can produce a road map for combating religious intolerance in the country, a radical departure from the policies of Suryadharma.

Support growing for Lukman Hakim Saifuddin to stay on as religious affairs minister
He has been praised for his defense of religious minorities
“He is so much better than his predecessor, Pak Suryadharma Ali, who instead of working to solve the problem of religious discrimination in this country became a part of the problem with his hate speech,” Hendardi said on Sunday.

Hendardi said that Suryadharma pales in comparison to Lukman due to his many controversial statements, one of which was his claim that Shia Islam was heretical because it deviated from mainstream Islamic teachings.

Suryadharma also came under fire last year for allegedly supporting the forced conversion of Shia followers in Sampang, East Java, in an initiative the government called a reconciliation program to end a conflict between the two Islamic denominations in the region, the Shia and the majority Sunni.

“I personally support appointing Pak Lukman to lead the [Religious Affairs] Ministry in the new government because we have yet to see any other candidates who have proven to support [religious] minorities,” Hendardi said.

Activist Bona Sigalingging, a member of the embattled GKI Yasmin Christian congregation in Bogor, West Java, also praised what Lukman had done in recent months.

GKI Yasmin has remained sealed for more than 10 years despite a ruling by the Supreme Court, the country’s highest legal institution, stipulating its legitimacy.

“Unlike Pak Suryadharma who has promised to reopen our church since 2011, Pak Lukman did not make any promises that he could not keep during his meeting with us. But we are convinced that things will be better under his leadership. He is open-minded and a supporter of religious diversity,” Bona said.

Despite the growing support for Lukman, his permanent position in the Cabinet will depend on what the PPP decides in the coming weeks — whether the party will switch sides to join the Gotong Royong Coalition led by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) or remain with the Gerindra Party-led Red-and-White Coalition.

The presence of PPP executives at PDI-P’s national assembly in Semarang, Central Java, over the weekend seemed to suggest the former’s decision to jump ship.

If the PPP does officially switch sides the party would still have to compete with the PKB — which has been a part of the Gotong Royong Coalition since its formation — for the next religious affairs minister post, which has traditionally been awarded to a member of the country’s largest Islamic group, Nahdatul Ulama (NU).

Reports have indicated that the PKB has already nominated its candidates for the position and submitted names to Jokowi.

“The competition is inevitable. The PPP and the PKB will undoubtedly fight each other for the post due to its strategic position. However, the post is better given to a non-partisan figure from the NU to avoid potentially conflicting political interest, in order to embrace all interests,” analyst Arief Aulia Rahman from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) said.

 

Margareth S. Aritonang, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Headlines | Mon, September 22 2014, 7:36 AM

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Menteri Agama Lukman Hakim Saifuddin mengaku tidak tahu adanya isu pemerintahan Jokowi-JK mendatang akan mengubah nomenklatur (penamaan) Kemenag menjadi Kementerian Haji dan Zakat. Namun begitu, dirinya menegaskan Kemenag seharusnya tak dipersempit ruang lingkup tugasnya hanya mengurus haji dan zakat.

"Karena Kemenag itu bertugas melindungi dan melayani semua umat beragama. Jadi jangan sampai direduksi dan diperkecil tugasnya," ucap Lukman di sela-sela kegiatan Pawai Damai di sekitar Bundaran HI, Jakarta Pusat, Minggu (21/9/2014).

Namun, ia menyatakan sebenarnya tak yakin akan kebenaran rencana perubahan nama Kemenag menjadi Kementerian Haji dan Zakat itu. Sebab, Lukman percaya pemerintahan Jokowi-JK ini  memahami peran Kemenag sebagai lembaga yang khas dan memiliki latar belakang sejarah yang panjang.

"Jadi kekhasan Kemenag harus kita jaga dan pelihara. Sehingga saya tidak yakin akan adanya perubahan itu," ucap Lukman.

Kabar wacana penggantian nama Kementerian Agama mulai timbul usai Jokowi-JK mengumumkan postur kabinetnya di kantor transisi pada Senin malam pada 15 September lalu. Muncul kabar Kemenag akan diubah menjadi Kementerian Haji, Zakat, dan Wakaf.

Hal ini pun dibantah oleh Presiden terpilih Joko Widodo (Jokowi) pada Rabu 17 September 2014. Begitu juga kabar kementerian tersebut akan dihapuskan. Gubernur DKI Jakarta itu menegaskan isu yang tengah beredar di media sosial, baik itu isu Kementerian Agama dihapus atau diganti namanya, adalah isu yang tidak benar.

Jokowi menegaskan, meski jumlah kementerian telah diumumkan, penyusunannya belum selesai secara keseluruhan. Karena itu, dia tak dapat memberitahukan kepada siapa pun hasil penyusunan kementerian dalam kabinetnya nanti.

Credit: Muhammad Ali | by Andi Muttya Keteng | 21 Sep 2014 10:18

AKARTA, SATUHARAPAN.COM - Menteri Agama, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin mengajak seluruh bangsa Indonesia memperingati Hari Perdamaian Internasional sekaligus merupakan saat tepat untuk menegakkan toleransi. “Saudara-saudara sekalian, hari ini hendaknya tidak hanya menjadi hari untuk memperingati perdamaian dunia, tetapi menegaskan komitmen kita untuk bersikap toleransi,” kata Lukman di hadapan massa pada International Day of Peace atau Hari Perdamaian Internasional yang diselenggarakan Wahid Institute dan beberapa lembaga pegiat perdamaian lainnya, Minggu (21/9), di Bundaran Tugu Selamat Datang, Jakarta. Lukman mengatakan bahwa di tengah-tengah berbagai perbedaan, baik dalam kerangka kebudayaan, sosial, dan politik, diyakini bahwa Indonesia akan terus-menerus merajut kebhinekaan. “Kita tegaskan bahwa perdamaian itu indah,” Lukman menambahkan. Dalam peringatan Hari perdamaian Internasional, seluruh peserta arak-arakan bergerak dari salah satu sudut Monumen Nasional pukul 06:30 dan tiba di Tugu Selamat Datang kira-kira pukul 08:15, dengan diiringi Marching Band dari Istana Yatim Nurul Mukhlisin Bekasi. Setibanya di depan Plaza Indonesia, para peserta arak-arakan langsung menggelar salam perdamaian disertai dengan spanduk-spanduk bertuliskan ajakan pada seluruh warga Indonesia mulai bertoleransi. Sebelum para peserta melakukan arak-arakan dari Monas, Shinta Nuriyah Wahid terlebih dahulu meresmikan peringatan Hari Perdamaian Internasional tersebut. “Dengan mengucap Bismillahirrahman irrahim, peringatan Hari Perdamaian Internasional saya buka,” kata Shinta. Editor : Yan Chrisna Dwi Atmaja | Penulis: Prasasta Widiadi | 11:05 WIB | Minggu, 21 September 2014

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