Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – The Golkar Party says the House of Representatives must initiate a bill on houses of worship and pass it into law to replace the controversial ministerial decree on the matter.

"We need it to be a law, because under the current 2004 Law and Regulation Law, we do not recognize ministerial decrees as a valid legal instruments," Golkar's Melchias Markus Melkeng said during a plenary session at the House in Senayan, South Jakarta, on Tuesday.

Melchias' colleague, Anton Sihombing, said that around 60 Golkar legislators had also signed the petition to push the revision of the ministerial decree.

The decree has been under public scrutiny following the recent stabbing attack against members of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) church in Ciketing, Bekasi.