TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Around 100 young clerics of Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization the Nahdlatul Ulama or NU in a so-called bahtsul masail (a religious discussion) have decided that Muslims are allowed to vote for non-Muslim leaders.

"Electing non-Muslims in political contestation based on the Constitution is legal if the non-Muslim is elected as regional heads," KH Najib Bukhori announced the results of the bahstul masail discussion at NU's youth wing organization GP Ansor office building in Jakarta on Sunday, March 12, 2017.

Najib went on to say that electing non-Muslims to assume government office is legally binding, both in terms of the constitution and religion.

Young clerics from Islamic boarding schools across Indonesia discussed leadership issue in the bahtsul masail discussion on ‘Non-Muslim Leadership in Indonesia’ on March 11 and March 12, 2017, at the GP Ansor office building.

Participants of the argued that based on the Constitution, every citizen has the right to vote for their leaders regardless of religion.

"A citizen, based on their individual rights, may vote or not vote for Non-Muslims as a formal government leader," said Najib, the chairman of GP Ansor Yaqut Cholil Quomas.

ANTARA