Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Office (Kantor Urusan Agama, KUA) is becoming more inclusive, offering its services to people all faiths, not only Muslims, Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas announced last on February 26. Indonesia is the world most populous Muslim-majority country.
“We all agree in principle for a radical change in the (legal) status of the office,” Choumas said at a working meeting of the ministry’s Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance.
The ministry’s decision is not surprising, since the head of the ministry comes from the country’s most moderate Islamic organisation, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). Before he was appointed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo during the latter’s second term, Quomas headed the NU’s para-military wing, better known as Banser.
The minister also said that the KUA will be available to all Indonesian citizens, regardless of their religion. Hitherto, only Muslim couples could access their services to get married, register the marriage, or get divorced.
Now, “The KUA will also be the place where all couples could register their marriage certificates” whatever their faith.
Marriage in Indonesia is considered valid only if it is performed at a religious institution. For Catholics and other Christians, this means that marriages can take place only in a church, in front of a pastor or priest.
After the ceremony, the bride and groom must go to the Civil Registration Office (Kantor Cata-tan Sipil, KCS) to officially register their marriage.