Sukmawati aside, few Indonesians would dare to change their religion
- Sukarno’s daughter may have converted from Islam to Hinduism but for ordinary Indonesians to do so is to take a great risk, as Johannes Nugroho found out
- For those who can get past the bureaucratic stone wall, social ostracism – and in some cases even jail – can await
In response, Indonesians took to social media to express their views on the matter with most Muslims expressing their disapproval, though some came to her defence.
Controversy aside, Sukarnoputri faced no administrative obstacle to her conversion. Nor was her family opposed to it. She claimed that her three children and siblings had all given their blessings. It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that her hassle-free conversion owed much to her family’s political and social standing.
For most Indonesians, however, changing one’s religion can be a perilous business, which explains why in the last 10 years the percentage of Indonesians who profess to be Muslims has not changed much, at roughly 87 per cent. For the few who choose to convert or abandon their religion altogether, the process is often fraught with administrative difficulties and social stigma.
I experienced this first-hand several years ago when I tried to change the listing of my religion on my government-issued ID Card (KTP).
