Behind the Bureaucratic Wall: The Paradox of House of Worship Regulations in Indonesia

Iwan Rasiwan, ABD Kadir, Rahman Mantu

Abstract


Establishing houses of worship in Indonesia continues to face various obstacles despite constitutional guarantees. Data indicates an increasing trend in religious freedom violations, with 389 cases (2020-2021), 329 cases (2023), and 23 cases (2024), where rejection of house of worship establishments remains the predominant case. This research aims to critically analyze the implementation of the Joint Ministerial Regulation of the Minister of Religious Affairs and Minister of Home Affairs Numbers 9 and 8 of 2006 (PBM), focusing on three aspects: the causal relationship between administrative requirements and obstacles in establishing houses of worship, the impact of Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) composition on the fulfillment of religious freedom rights, and formulating recommendations for simplifying house of worship establishment requirements. The research employs a socio-legal approach using the parameters of the Center for Religious Freedom and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, documentation studies, and source triangulation. The research findings identify three main issues: quantitative requirements becoming structural barriers for minority groups, FKUB's majority-based representation composition creating bias in decision-making, and the decentralization of religious affairs leading to disparate treatment across regions. Policy reformulation is needed through simplifying administrative requirements, restructuring FKUB composition, and strengthening the central government's role in protecting religious freedom to realize the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.

Keywords


House of worship regulation; Religious freedom; Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB); Minority discrimination; Human rights

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adiputra, M. A. (2024). Imparsial Temukan 23 Pelanggaran Kebebasan Beragama Selama 2024. https://imparsial.org/imparsial-temukan-23-pelanggaran-kebebasan-beragama-selama-2024/

Ali-Fauzi, I., Panggabean, S. R., Sumaktoyo, N. G., T., A. H., Mubarak, H., Testriono, & Nurhayati, S. (2011). Kontroversi gereja di Jakarta dan sekitarnya. Centre for the Study of Islam and Democracy.

Amnesty International. (2020). Indonesia: Ketegangan Antaragama Atas Rencana Renovasi Gereja. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa21/1851/2020/id/

Ardiansah. (2018). The Settlement of Law Problem on Establisment of Worship Houses in Indonesia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 175(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/175/1/012171

Arutiunian, K. S. (2022). Formation of the Ethnic Component Management Consciousness in the Prevention of the Ethno-Social Crisis (Socio-Philosophical Aspect); [Формирование этнического компонента управленческого сознания в предотвращении кризиса этносоциальной сферы (социально-фи. Journal of Siberian Federal University - Humanities and Social Sciences, 15(6), 791 – 798. https://doi.org/10.17516/1997-1370-0886

Asnawati, A. (2012). Peranan Forum Kerukunan Umat Beragama (FKUB): Studi Kasus Pelaksanaan PBM No. 9 dan No. 8 Tahun 2006 di Jakarta Utara. Harmoni, 11(1), 129–137.

Babie, P., & Rochow, N. (2012). Protecting Religious Freedom under Bills of Rights: Australia as Microcosm. In Freedom of Religion under Bills of Rights (pp. 1–11). University of Adelaide Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/UPO9780987171818.002

Babšek, M., & Kovač, P. (2023). The Covid-19 Pandemic as a Driver of More Responsive Social Procedures: Between Theory and Practices in Slovenia. NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy, 16(1), 1 – 32. https://doi.org/10.2478/nispa-2023-0001

Bagir, Z. A., Asfinawati, Suhadi, & Arianingtyas, R. (2020). Limitations to Freedom of Religion or Belief in Indonesia: Norms and Practices. Religion and Human Rights, 15(1–2), 39 – 56. https://doi.org/10.1163/18710328-BJA10003

Bhui, K. (2016). Discrimination, poor mental health, and mental illness. International Review of Psychiatry, 28(4), 411 – 414. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2016.1210578

Bielefeldt, H., & Wiener, M. (2021). Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law.

Blank, Y. (2012). Localising Religion in a Jewish State. Israel Law Review, 45(2), 291–321. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021223712000064

Crouch, M. (2010). Implementing the regulation on places of worship in Indonesia: New problems, local politics and court action. Asian Studies Review, 34(4), 403 – 419. https://doi.org/10.1080/10357823.2010.527921

Djafar, A. (2023). Wahid Foundation Diskusikan Laporan Kemerdekaan Beragama dan Berkeyakinan di Indonesia Tahun 2020-2022. https://wahidfoundation.org/News/Detail/Wahid-Foundation-Diskusikan-Laporan-Kemerdekaan-Beragama-Dan-Berkeyakinan-Di-Indonesia-Tahun-2020-2022

Fanany, I. (2014). The first year of local autonomy: The case of West Sumatra. In Autonomy and Disintegration in Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315016139-21

Farida, A. (2018). Pendirian Rumah Ibadat Pasca PBM Nomor 9 Dan 8 Tahun 2006 dan Kerukunan Umat Beragama (Kasus Pendirian Gereja di Kota Bandung, Jawa Barat). Harmoni, 16(2), 374–392. https://doi.org/10.32488/harmoni.v16i2.5

Finke, R., & Goff, K. (2023). Regulating Religion in the Public Arena: Lessons Learned from Global Data Collections. In Democracy, Religion, and Commerce: Private Markets and the Public Regulation of Religion. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003309291-4

Firdaus, M. A. (2014). Eksistensi FKUB dalam Memelihara Kerukunan Umat Beragama di Indonesia. Kontekstualita: Jurnal Penelitian Sosial Keagamaan, 29(1), 37175.

Garba, A. S. (2016). Striking a balance between freedom of Religion and State’s regulatory power in modern democratic systems: State regulation of religious preaching in Northern Nigeria under scrutiny. Quaderni Di Diritto e Politica Ecclesiastica, 19(2), 513 – 532. https://doi.org/10.1440/84608

Hasan, H. (2024). Kondisi Kebebasan Beragama Berkeyakinan (KBB) 2023; Dari Stagnasi Menuju Stagnasi Baru (Jakarta, 2024). In SETARA Institute for Democracy and Peace. https://setara-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Rilis-Data-Kondisi-KBB-2023_Setara-Institute_Ind.pdf

Hasani, I., Hasan, H., Sutrisno, C., Nugroho, Z., Novianingrum, A., Insiyah, S., Yosarie, I., & Hang, S. (2021). Intoleransi Semasa Pandemi: Laporan Kondisi Kebebasan Beragama/Berkeyakinan Di Indonesia Tahun 2020. Pustaka Masyarakat Setara.

Hati, L. P., Al-Mujtahid, N. M., Kholil, S., Sahfutra, S. A., Ginting, L. D. C. U., & Fahreza, I. (2023). Religious Harmony Forum: Ideal Religious Moderation in the Frame of Building Tolerance in Medan City, Indonesia. Pharos Journal of Theology, 104(4). https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.104.420

Hefner, R. W. (2012). Islamic radicalism in a democratizing Indonesia. In Routledge Handbook of Political Islam. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203154144-14

Hefner, R. W., & Ali-Fauzi, I. (2014). Mengelola keragaman dan kebebasan beragama di Indonesia.

Hekman, D. R., Steensma, H. K., Bigley, G. A., & Hereford, J. F. (2009). Effects of Organizational and Professional Identification on the Relationship Between Administrators’ Social Influence and Professional Employees’ Adoption of New Work Behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(5), 1325 – 1335. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015315

Humaizi, Hasan, N. N. N., Dalimunthe, M. A., & Ramadhani, E. (2024). Harmony in virtual space: Forum Kerukunan Umat Beragama (FKUB) development communication in creating digital literacy based on religious moderation. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(7). https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i7.4299

Husni, H. (2019). Moderate Muslims’ Views on Multicultural Education, Freedom of Expression, and Social Media Hate Speech: An Empirical Study in West Java Indonesia. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan Islam, 7(2), 199. https://doi.org/10.36667/jppi.v7i2.370

Intan, B. F. (2022). Kuyper’s sphere sovereignty and the restriction on building worship places in Indonesia. HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 78(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v78i1.7309

Jera, E. (2015). The Importance of Freedom of Religion as a Foundamental Human Right. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(4S3), 357 – 359. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s3p357

Jolicoeur, J. R., & Memmer, A. (2018). Spiritual occlusion and systemic integrity: Legal evaluations of due process protections and freedom of religious expression and practices safeguards. Religions, 9(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9060173

Kakemam, E., Mohammadpour, E., Karimi, S. E., Saeidpour, J., Abbaszadeh, M., & Alizadeh, M. (2024). The relationship between good governance, social support, and perceived discrimination with mental health through the mediation role of quality of life: a cross-sectional path analysis in Iran. BMC Public Health, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19806-x

Kühle, L. (2022). A “Nordic Religious Freedom Paradox”? Freedom of Religion and Belief as Constructed by Two Global Datasets. Temenos, 58(2), 239 – 265. https://doi.org/10.33356/temenos.113467

Lexi J. Moleong. (2010). Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif. Rake Sarasin.

Li-Ann, T. (2019). Singapore relational constitutionalism: The ‘living institution’and the project of religious harmony. Singapore Journal of Legal Studies, 19, 204 – 234.

Macinati, M. S., & Young, S. H. (2024). Contracting out social care services to for-profit and not-for-profit organizations in Italy: Social categorization and governance choices. Public Money and Management, 44(2), 156 – 164. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2022.2120284

Manrique, R. Á. P. (2025). Religious freedom as more than a right: The condition of other freedoms, of respect for human dignity and of social coexistence. In Religion and foreign affairs: Interreligious dialogue, diplomacy and peace-building. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85215220182&partnerID=40&md5=7360359c34a0af03e0cba8dad5ae3e2e

Marzuki, S. (2023). Assessing the Conformity of Human Rights Paradigm in Indonesian Legislation and the Rulings of the Constitutional Court. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 12(4), 239 – 247. https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2023-0110

Miharja, D., & Mulyana, M. (2019). Peran FKUB Dalam Menyelesaikan Konflik Keagamaan di Jawa Barat. Religious: Jurnal Studi Agama-Agama Dan Lintas Budaya, 3(2), 120–132.

Mubarok, H. (2014). Memperkuat Forum Kerukunan Umat Beragama (FKUB). Dialog, 37(2), 195–206.

Muchtar, A. T., Purbolaksono, A., Intania, C. C., & Primaresti, F. (2024). Evaluasi Syarat Pendirian Rumah Ibadat pada Peraturan Bersama Menteri Agama dan Menteri Dalam Negeri Nomor 9 dan 8 Tahun 2006 untuk Hak Atas Kebebasan Beragama dan Berkeyakinan di Indonesia. https://www.theindonesianinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Makalah-Kebijakan-Evaluasi-Syarat-Pendirian-Rumah-Ibadat-PBM-2006.pdf

Neo, J. L. (2019). Dimensions of religious harmony as constitutional practice: Beyond state control. German Law Journal, 20(7), 966 – 985. https://doi.org/10.1017/glj.2019.78

Noorbani, M. A. (2023). Peran Penyuluh Agama dalam Respons Dini Konflik Keagamaan di Kota Depok dan Kota Bogor. Dialog, 46(1), 100–113.

Nordholt, H. S. (2012). Decentralization and democracy in Indonesia: strengthening citizenship or regional elites? In Routledge Handbook of Southeast Asian Politics (pp. 234–246). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203155011-26

Nurdin, A. R., Yusnaini, S., Widyanto, A., Warul Walidin, A. K., & Sulaiman. (2021). Forum kerukunan umat beragama in aceh: Strategies, roles and barriers in maintaining interfaith harmony. Ulumuna, 25(2), 306 – 328. https://doi.org/10.20414/ujis.v25i2.457

Rapp, C., & Ackermann, K. (2016). The consequences of social intolerance on non-violent protest. European Political Science Review, 8(4), 567 – 588. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755773915000211

Ricklefs, M. C. (2007). Polarising Javanese society: Islamic and other visions c. 1830-1930. In Polarising Javanese Society: Islamic and Other Visions C. 1830-1930. nus Press.

Ridge, H. M. (2020). State regulation of religion: the effect of religious freedom on Muslims’ religiosity. Religion, State and Society, 48(4), 256–275. https://doi.org/10.1080/09637494.2020.1804781

Rokhmad, A. (2016). The role of Inter-Religious Harmony Forum in maintaining the harmony of religious life in plural society. Social Sciences (Pakistan), 11(21), 5052 – 5059. https://doi.org/10.3923/sscience.2016.5052.5059

Sigit, K. A., & Hasani, I. (2021). Intoleransi Semasa Pandemi Kondisi Kebebasan Beragama/Berkeyakinan di Indonesia Tahun 2020. Pustaka Masyarakat Setara. https://base.api.k-hub.org/assets/Organisasi/42040221/files/SETARA_Institute-Laporan_KBB_2020_Setara_Institute_4.pdf

Smith, R. K. M. (2008). Hukum Hak Asasi Manusia. In Evolusi Pemikiran Dan Sejarah Perkembangan Hak Asasi Manusia. Pusat Studi Hak Asasi Manusia, Universitas Islam Indonesia (PUSHAM UII). https://www.academia.edu/download/63145683/_BAB_BUKU__Konsep_Dasar__Sejarah_dan_Prinsip_Dasar_HAM_32_hal220200430-79435-1acnii.pdf

Sonata, D. L. (2015). Metode Penelitian Hukum Normatif Dan Empiris: Karakteristik Khas dari Metode Meneliti Hukum. FIAT JUSTISIA:Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 8(1), 15–35. https://doi.org/10.25041/fiatjustisia.v8no1.283

Suntoro, A., Hermanto, M. A., Farikhati, N., Fitri, O. R., Rizky, R., & Limbong, R. J. (2020). Pengkajian Komnas HAM RI atas Peraturan Bersama Menteri No. 9 dan 8 terkait pendirian rumah ibadah (Issue 9).

United Nastion Human Rights. (1988). International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Annual Review of Population Law, 15, 148. https://doi.org/10.32420/1996.2.45

US Department of State. (2008). 2008 Report on International Religious Freedom. https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/index.htm

Wihantoro, Y., Lowe, A., Cooper, S., & Manochin, M. (2015). Bureaucratic reform in post-Asian Crisis Indonesia: The Directorate General of Tax. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 31, 44 – 63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpa.2015.04.002

Wijaya, M. P. H., & Ali, M. Z. (2021). Legislation Impediments in Reorganising Government Bodies in Indonesia. Bestuur, 9(1), 1 – 12. https://doi.org/10.20961/bestuur.v9i1.51633

Wijayanto, W. S. (2021). Resolusi Konflik Pembangunan Gereja Baptis Indonesia di Tlogosari Semarang. Jurnal Abdiel: Khazanah Pemikiran Teologi, Pendidikan Agama Kristen Dan Musik Gereja, 5(1), 57–73. https://doi.org/10.37368/ja.v5i1.235




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30984/pp.v29i1.3453

Article Metrics

Abstract view : 63 times
PDF - 19 times

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 Potret Pemikiran

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Statistic Journal Potret

Rumah Jurnal Institut Agama Islam Negeri Manado

Jl. Dr. S.H. Sarundajang, Kawasan Ringroad I, Malendeng Manado Kode Pos 95128, Sulawesi Utara, Indonesia.

Creative Commons License

All publication by  Potret Pemikiran are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Potret Pemikiran, ISSN 1693-1874 (Print), ISSN 2528-0376 (Online)