Jakarta – The Setara Institute, a civil society group focusing on improving the country's pluralism, on Tuesday criticized presidential candidates who have used religion to attract voters.

"It is very dangerous because it will divide the nation, and reduce the democracy to its lowest level," Setara Institute chairman Hendardi said.

The fact that a certain candidate had used religious issues during their campaign had shown that many political elites discriminated against certain groups, he said.

Hendardi, however, refused to name which candidate he was referring to, but said some campaigns had questioned if Boediono, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's running mate, was really a Muslim, while another had said his wife, Herawati, was in fact Catholic.