inp.polri.go.id - Makassar. The Religion Minister Nasaruddin Umar allows religious figures to voice their concern and input to national policies while still maintaining religion independency.

“If we want to see how religion works in society, then we have to be responsible in making the religion independent. What does that mean? It means that the religion can be critical with the situation in society,” says Nasarruddin during an interfaith leaders meeting in Makassar.

He assures that people can openly voiced their concern and critiques to the government as the government must listen to their people.

In his statement, he emphasized that the relationship between religion and state must be harmonious and balanced. According to him, religion that is too dependent on the state will lose the ability to provide constructive criticism.

He also reminded that religious leaders should not be subordinate to the state. Religious leaders and the government must respect each other.

Nasaruddin also reminds that if religion becomes a tool to legitimate political needs, it will lose its value in the eyes of the public. 

When religion no longer enlightens society, especially the younger generation, he said, they will start to abandon religion.

This phenomenon has already occurred in Western countries. They believe in God, but do not want to obey God’s will. This is because religion is too often used as a tool for political legitimacy, so that it loses its authority and enlightening power.

“I am not afraid to convey this principle as it is in line with the 1945 Constitution and Pancasila. I am sure what I have conveyed is also in line with the hopes of President Prabowo who greatly values ​​clerics and religious figures," he said.

At the end of the opportunity, the Minister of Religion expressed his hope that religion and state can run parallel to build the nation.

"We do not want religion nor our country to be weak. Both must be equally strong, and that's Indonesia," he concluded.

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