Twitter/@lukmansaifuddin
Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin saidin an interview that Ahmadiyya congregation is forbidden to spread their religion.
Regarding Ahmadiyya, (what we) prohibit is the spread of itsreligious teachings, Lukman saidon Monday.
However, he does not prohibit the congregation to pray and worship based on their belief.
Ahmadiyya congregation's (freedom to) fulfill their religious teachings must be guaranteed by all of us because our constitution ensures that each of us is allowed to observethe teachings of the religion we choose, he continued.
Soon after the interview video was uploaded, questions and responses from social media usersemerged.
Some people who are against Ahmadiyya criticized the minister and state for acknowledging Ahmadiyya as a religion.
Great, the religious affair minister has admitted Ahmadiyah as a religion.. is the last prophet ghulam ahmad, sir? said Twitter user @LENTERAHATI79.
Ahmadiyah is not Islam, so the government should be firm against the religion that doesnot exist in Indonesia. tweeted user @Irma_bon.
@Kemenag_RI @lukmansaifuddin This one, Sir, is weird. Be FIRM, bro. You cannot PROHIBIT the PROTECTED and PROTECT the FORBIDDEN. insisted user @b12am_gc.
Meanwhile, others have quite opposite response.
They claimed the minister's statement is an antithesis of the government's campaign on Pancasila, inclusivity and pluralism.
Mr @jokowi please just replace the religious affairs minister. Ahmadiyah is part of NKRI and it is Islam! said user @hpriam.
Sir @lukmansaifuddin if the constitution ensure peoples right to worship why Ahmadiyahs mosque theyused to worship is sealed by the local government? asked @ipunknoenk.
(brl/red)
