Cultural Advancement in Accordance with the Ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
By: Dudung Badrun, SH MH
(Advocate)
To prevent the intrusion of global interests in the human rights field, namely pitting the nation against each other through the preaching of Ustad Khottot, who even became a religious judge over KDM, when conducting Sundanese cultural activities related to Nyi Loro Kidul, with the verdict “polytheism.” Habib Riziq also responded to the preservation of Sundanese culture with a verdict similar to that issued by Ustad Khottot.
Such verdicts create discomfort within the community of Sundanese/ancestral cultural preservers, who also hold Islamic ID cards. Therefore, the state needs to be present to implement the following laws and regulations:
1. Law Number 11 of 2005 concerning the Ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
2. Law Number 6 of 2014 concerning Villages.
3. Law Number 5 of 2017 concerning the Advancement of Culture.
Meanwhile, the verdict of polytheism against the series of cultural activities conducted by Ustadz Khotot and Habib Riziq is not based on any law.
Therefore, the West Java Population Service is very appropriate to list religion/belief on their KTPs.
This ensures that the state is present to protect the entire Indonesian nation and all of Indonesia’s territory, as mandated by the preamble to the 1945 Constitution.**
Jakarta, October 9, 2025
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