Jakarta, IO – As many as 475 penghayat kepercayaan (native-faith followers) in Magelang, Central Java, changed their religious affiliation on their identity cards (KTP) and family cards (KK), per Kompas, Fri (12/1).
This figure represents almost half of the 1,300 residents in the regency who profess their devotion to various indigenous religions.
“This has been ongoing since the Constitutional Court’s (MK) decision. We have socialized it to religious groups,” said head of Magelang civil registry bureau (Disdukcapil) Idam Laksana.
Magelang’s Deliberative Council of the Supreme Council of Beliefs in the Almighty God (MLKI) secretary Agung Nugroho said currently there are dozens of religious groups in the regency, comprising Palang Putih Nusantara, Ngestri Kasampurnan, Kapribaden, Pahoman Sejati, Hidup Betul, Sapta Dharma, Ngudi Utama, Cahya Buwana, Urip Sejati, Pangestu, Sumarah and Budi Luhur.
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The followers can now officially state their faith after the MK ruled that the state recognizes their status in the religion information detail on their KTP and KK. Before, this was left blank or filled out with one of the six recognized religions – Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism. Now, they can use the designation of ‘Belief in One Almighty God.’ (un)