The Indonesian government has decided to revise a controversial ministerial decree on the establishment of houses of worship in a bid to curb interfaith violence in the nation with the world's largest population of Muslims, a local newspaper said Thursday.

"Hopefully, revisions can be completed later in September," Minister of Religious Affairs Maftuh Basyuni was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying.

He said the planned revisions to the decree, issued jointly by the religious affairs ministry and the home ministry in 1969, are aimed mainly at ensuring freedom of religion and avoiding multiple interpretations. He did not elaborate further.

Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf also has said the ministerial decree would be revised so as to be "harmonized and synchronized" with Law No. 32/2004 on regional administration.

Ma'ruf said the decree, blamed partly by some people for attacks on followers of other faiths, was outdated and needed a review in order to adjust to the current situation.

"The decree was issued in 1969 and we have experienced many changes in the government system. Therefore, it should be consistent with Law No. 32/2004," he said.

The joint ministerial decree requires that permission from local authorities and local residents be obtained before constructing places of worship.

The decision to revise the decree was prompted by dozens of forcible closures by Muslims hard-liners of many Christian houses of worship in Bandung and neighboring districts in West Java.

However, police have so far refused to take any action against activists of the Anti-Apostasy Movement Alliance (AGAP), including the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), who claimed responsibility for the closures.

The police justified their inaction by saying the church closures were not violent and that the decree only allows law enforcement personnel to take action if a religious dispute turns into a criminal act.

However, the law also forbids civilians from taking the law into their hands.

The church closures drew strong reactions from many people, particularly moderate Muslims, with some calling for the revocation of the ministerial decree to stop such interfaith conflict.

Source: Xinhua