REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Vice Secretary General of Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI), Tengku Zulkarnain, asked the companies not to force their Muslim employees to use Christmas accents. He also encouraged the government to revoke the operating license of the companies who did it.
According to Tengku, forcing Muslim employees to use Christmas accents violated the Constitution in 1945, especially Article 28E which regulate the freedom of religion and belief. "If there are companies forced their employees to use other religion symbols, it’s a violation of the Constitution. Their lisence should be revoked,” said Tengku to Republika.co.id on Wednesday (12/14).
He added, Muslim employees should be active to report the companies. They could file a report to the police or through the labor organizations and MUI. "Report the company whenever they force you to do so," said Tengku.
Tengku said MUI would not hesitate to take a legal action against the companies. The organization had issued this call for a year, but some companies always ignore. "If necessary we would report it to the police. This is already too much. It's been a year we issued a call from MUI," said him.
Previously, the Mayor of Bandung, West Java, Ridwan Kamil or Kang Emil, banned the companies for forcing the employees to use Christmas accent. The regulator has sent a letter to business owners not to force Muslim employees to wear a Santa costume. "Unless the employees do it voluntarily and they do not object," said Kang Emil to the reporters in Bandung on the same day.
According to Emil, the letter was to response complaints delivered by Muslim employees in Bandung. They said, they were uncomfortable using the attributes of Santa Claus. "So many complaints come to me by Muslim employees saying that they feel awkward with the properties," he said.
Emil argued that it was about conviction. Therefore, it should not be neglected. It was not a matter when the employees do not mind to use the costume. However, the company should ask whether they are willing to use the costume. “We did it in order to avoid any misunderstanding. If this is ridden by any matter of business, it will harm the relationship and tolerance which is being built among the society," he said.
Emil said, the decree is not applied only at Christmas. However, Bandung municipal government will do the same thing during the celebration of other Holy days. Thus, there was no compulsion to follow other religious traditions. The point was, said Emil, it is okay to use any accent as long as there is no compulsion. The decree would also being sent to the companies before Eid.
On the occasion, he added that Islamic religion taught, it was okay to give hand on other religious ceremony as long as it comes with sincerity "That is the key," said Emil.
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