Indonesia to ease rules on minorities’ places of worship, but they fear that difficulties will remain

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is set to sign a new law that aims to make it easier for minority groups to build houses of worship. - PHOTO: REUTERS

JAKARTA: President Joko Widodo is set to sign a presidential regulation that minority groups in Muslim-majority Indonesia hope would ease requirements to set up their places of worship.

The new law will replace two 2006 decrees passed by the religious affairs minister and home minister that have been blamed by minority groups for introducing tough conditions for the establishment of a church, temple or mosque for the minority Ahmadiyah Muslim group.