Jakarta – The Ministry of Religious Affairs should still exist and did not undergo a change in name, as this was a part of the Nation’s history. This was stated by the Chairman of Muhammadiyah Central Executive, YunaharIlyas in the office of Muhammadiyah Central Executive, Menteng Raya 62, Jakarta, on Wednesday (9/17). Muhammadiyah Central Executive reminded that the new government of JokoWidodo and JusufKalla should not remove The Ministry of Religious Affairs on their future cabinet.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs should remain the same and the name should not be changed. This was a part of the Nation’s history. He thought, the existence of Ministry of Religious Affairs was direly needed to take care of the issues relating to religion in this Nation and did not make the Nation into secular one.
The rumor of the removal of Ministry of Religious Affairs emerged after Jokowi-JK announced the cabinet structure in his governance on Monday night (9/15). Out of 34 Ministries, there was no mention of Ministry of Religious Affairs, which was replaced by Ministry of Waqaf, Hajj, and Zakat.
“If the name of the Ministry is like that, then how should we take care of marriage, religious education, and so on? We think, the name should remain the Ministry of Religious Affairs,” said the Professor of Islamic Education of Muhammadiyah University Yogyakarta. He believed that there was the Ministry of Religious Affairs in the new governance.
Meanwhile, the criteria that must be owned by a Minister of Religious Affairs, Yunahar believed that the president understood and kept it in mind. Muhammadiyah, he said, were not concerned with which organization the Minister was from, like NahdlatulUlama or Muhammadiyah. “Besides being honest and professional, the most important thing is that he should be a Muslim, understands the religion, and does not concern with particular groups’ interest,” he said.
He hoped the Ministerof Religious Affairs learned from the experience so that there would not be the same case in this governance. “The one who holds this position has heavier burden because he takes up the name of religion,” he said.
Yunahar appreciated the Minister of Religious Affairs, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin who was able to replace Suryadharma Ali, even though he just took up the position for three months.
“Communication, which was promoted by the Ministerof Religious Affairs, Lukman Hakim, is very accurate. The proof is that Muhammadiyah was willing to attend the Isbat court for Hari Raya IdulFitri 1435 H after two years of absent,” he said. (dzar)