TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The decision by Bantul Regent Suharsono to retain Yulius Suharta as Pajangan subdistrict chief was the right thing to do. Any assessment on the qualification of Yulius, who is Catholic, for the position should be based not on his religion, but on his achievements and competence.
Yulius was appointed as head of Pajangan subdistrict on December 30. A few days later, a number of local residents went to the office of the Yogyakarta Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) and asked Regent Suharsono to replace Yulius. The protesters' reasoning was that the appointment of Yulius had caused public unease. After all, in October last year, the people of Pajangan prevented the erection of a bust of Jesus at the St Yakobus Elfensius in the area.
Suharsono rejected the demand to replace Yulius, saying he had selected Yulius because of his performance, not his religion. As a regional leader, Suharsono is right to apply the principle of the right man in the right place. And in any case, the opposition came from only a group of people who do not represent the entire population of the district.
Suharsono's response deserves praise. Officials should be making decisions based on regulations, not based on protests and pressure from groups or mass organizations. Suharsono and other regional leaders, should adhere to the Constitution when making decisions. Article 28 of the 1945 Constitution clearly states that every citizen has the right to the same opportunity in government.
The requirements for a subdistrict chief are explicitly regulated in Government Regulation No. 19/2008 on Subdistricts. This states that subdistrict chiefs are appointed by regents or mayors and that they are civil servants who are experienced at governance and meet the conditions laid down by the law. There are no religious requirements in this regulation.
There is no need for the Bantul regent to go along with the suggestion from various parties, including a number of factions in the DPRD, that Yulius be moved to another subdistrict. It would not be difficult for Suharsono to transfer him, and he could use a number of reasons, one of them being a particular subdistrict housing many non-Muslim inhabitants. However the main problem is that it is not just about Yulius, but the principle of equal rights before the law and government as guaranteed by the Constitution.
Suharsono can learn from the example of President Joko Widodo. In 2013, when he was still governor of Jakarta, Jokowi retained the Lenteng subdistrict chief, Susan Jasmine Zulkifli, a Catholic, despite opposition from most locals. Her opponents claimed that the people, most of whom were Muslims, were opposed to being led by someone of another religion. Jokowi retorted that Susan's appointment was in line with regulations and implemented through an open selection process. No laws had been broken.
If he bowed down to the demands of an intolerant group, Suharsono would dishonor the principle of equal rights laid down in the Constitution. This would have far-reaching implications. Intolerant people or groups would be able to question the appointment of any public official from a minority religion. Giving in to pressure from an intolerant group would only open the door to more action and protests based on reprehensible religious sentiments. (*)
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