Jakarta – The Religious Affairs Ministry is considering the creation of a directorate general for Confucianism, a Chinese philosophy that was banned during the New Order era and was only recognized as one of the nation's official religions eight years ago.

Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali, a presidential hopeful from the United Development Party (PPP), said he would follow up on a proposal from the High Council of Confucianism in Indonesia (Matakin) in which the ministry was asked to create a special directorate to cater to the needs of Indonesian Confucians.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono responded positively to the suggestion in a speech he delivered during the 2565 Kongzili National Chinese New Year celebration at the Jakarta Convention Center on Friday.

Yudhoyono said that he had discussed the matter with Coordinating People's Welfare Minister Agung Laksono and had told the local Chinese community that a directorate general for Confucianism at the Religious Affairs Ministry would be established soon. "Anything that constrains Confucians should be set aside," the President said.

Suryadharma said his ministry was now looking into whether the proposal was viable. "We will study this further to see whether its viable as there are minimum requirements that should be met."

Confucian activities are currently managed by the Center of Religious Harmony (PKUB), an agency under the auspices of the Religious Affairs Ministry that deals with creating harmony by promoting interfaith dialogue. The agency is now led by H. Mubarok, a Muslim. The other five religions – Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism and Buddhism – have their own directorate generals.

Ministry spokesman Zubaidi said that the ministry did not oppose the plan, saying that with a special directorate general, adherents of Confucianism would be able to play a bigger role in society. He added, however, that doing so would take time.

"Other parties will be involved in the process, not just the Religious Affairs Ministry. For example, we must get approval from the Administrative Reforms Ministry. We will also have to prepare the financial division and also involve the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) to realize it as soon as possible."

According to the 2010 census, there are 111,091 Confucians in the country, or 0.5 percent of the total population. The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) also recorded 552 klenteng (temples) in Indonesia.

Following the 1965 tragedy, which was blamed on the Chinese-backed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), many Indonesians of Chinese-descent experienced discrimination and converted to the other five religions recognized by the state.

In 1979, former president Soeharto issued a decree to de-recognize Confucianism, which had been recognized as one the official religions by former president Sukarno.

Confucianism was recognized as an official religion again in 2006, five years after former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, an icon of pluralism, issued a decree that rescinded Soeharto's 1967 presidential instruction that banned the public display of Chinese symbols and customary practices.

Things have changed in the past few years, with Chinese culture and symbols openly displayed in public spaces, such as in malls and offices, while many Chinese businessmen are now entering the political stage.

The government, however, still does not recognize indigenous religions and their adherents are still barred from stating their beliefs on their ID cards. This policy has led to various kinds of discrimination and human rights activists have called on the government to repeal it. (fss)