Pendapat Kepala KUA di Kabupaten Jombang dan Pastor Kepala Paroki Santa Maria Jombang tentang Pencatatan Semua Agama di Kantor Urusan Agama

Abstract

In the context of Indonesia's rich diversity, a proposal has emerged to expand the role of the Office of Religious Affairs (KUA) to include the registration of marriages for all religions, as announced by Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas on February 23, 2024.  Currently, Law No. 23 of 2006, Article 1, Paragraph 23 designates KUA as the official marriage registration office for Muslim citizens, while Article 1, Paragraph 24 assigns non-Muslim citizens to register their marriages at the District Civil Registry Office, under the Ministry of Home Affairs Regulation No. 53 of 2019, Article 1, Paragraph 15.  Implementing this proposal would require significant legal amendments and the involvement of various stakeholders. This study aims to explore the perspectives of individuals experienced in marriage registration, specifically the Heads of KUA in Jombang Regency and the Head Pastor of Santa Maria Parish in Jombang.  The research focuses on the Heads of KUA from the Diwek, Jombang, and Jogoroto districts.  An empirical research method was employed, utilizing a qualitative approach to gather direct data from the field and gain a deeper understanding of the issue. The findings indicate that the Heads of KUA in Jombang and Jogoroto tend to support the proposal, provided it undergoes a comprehensive review by various parties, as it could significantly impact the future of marriage registration across all religions in Indonesia.  Conversely, the Head of KUA in Diwek and the Head Pastor of Santa Maria Parish express opposition, viewing the matter not as an issue of interfaith harmony but as a concern for improving state administration, which currently exhibits numerous inconsistencies.