JAKARTA: A bakery in Indonesia receives mixed reactions over its decision not to receive orders wishing Merry Christmas.
The
annual debate over whether Muslims can say “Merry Christmas” to their
Christian friends took a new turn on Sunday after a Makassar-based
bakery refused a customer’s request to write “Selamat hari Natal
keluargaku” (Merry Christmas, my family) on top of a cake she had
ordered.
Indonesian netizens, whether Muslim or
Christian, are sharply divided over the company’s decision. If a Muslim
believes that their faith prohibits them from saying “Merry Christmas”
on the grounds it is akin to confirming the beliefs of Christians (an
argument that has been widely refuted by top ulema), would they be
considered intolerant if they denied a request of writing it on a cake?
The
bakery, Chocolicious Indonesia, believes that it did nothing wrong,
saying the policy should by no means be interpreted as an act of
intolerance.
“With all due respect and humility, first of
all, we would like to offer our deepest regrets. We from Chocolicious
Indonesia are not yet able to write ‘Merry Christmas’ or other similar
expressions,” the bakery said in a statement on its official Instagram
account.
“This does not mean we do not respect your
religion. But with all due respect this is what we have to practise
based on our religious principles,” it said.
“Again, we
sincerely apologise from the bottom of our hearts and with a feeling of
respect and honour as Indonesians. We will still provide greeting cards
and chocolate boards as additional services for your order. You are
welcome to add your own writing. Again, we wish for your understanding.”
For
some netizens, the seemingly inoffensive and carefully worded
explanation still failed to conceal what they perceived as the bakery’s
intolerance toward Christians.
Journalist Dandhy Dwi
Laksono tweeted: “In the case of Chocolicious, what if the word
‘Christmas’ in the decorous sentence were replaced by ‘Eidul Fitr’? Or
what if the same attitude were displayed by chocolate farmers in Flores
who refuse to serve their buyers who celebrate Eidul Fitr?”
Other social media users were less diplomatic, condemning the bakery as “racist”, “fanatics” and “unfit to live in Indonesia”.
But not all netizens were furious or alarmed.
Burhanuddin
Muhtadi, a political analyst from Jakarta Islamic State University,
argued that the bakery had the right to refuse the request, saying:
“Other people also have the right to buy cakes from other shops if they
feel uncomfortable with [the bakery owner’s] religious interpretation.”
Identity politics
The Christmas cake controversy came amid concerns over
rising identity politics in Indonesia, with the nation’s burgeoning
middle class now seen to be growing more religiously conservative.
While
many have become used to the antics of hardline Islamic groups in their
war against Christmas, it is unusual for a seemingly law-abiding Muslim
shop owner to politely refuse a small request of writing “Selamat
Natal” on the cakes they are selling.
Specifically, the
Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), regarded as the highest religious
authority in the country, does not prohibit Muslims from greeting
Christians on their holiday. The late Buya Hamka, one of the most
influential Muslim clerics in Indonesia, also made it clear that Muslims
were permitted to say “Merry Christmas” despite many Muslims basing
their argument against Christmas greetings on a 1981 MUI fatwa released
by Hamka.
Yudi Latif, who heads a presidential working
unit on implementation of the state ideology of religious tolerance,
said more work needed to be done to instill tolerance in society.
He
said the shop owners had “the right to refuse or accept” an order,
adding that it was the task of religious leaders to spread the message
of tolerance, including persuading the bakery owner to grant the
customer’s request.
Yudi said” “The government must
ensure that business owners can operate freely and accept any order they
want, as long as it is not against the law.”
But regardless of the debate, Chocolicious Indonesia is losing some of its customers because of its policy.
Makassar
resident Widya Sabila said she and her family had long been customers
of the bakery. “I never thought they would do that. I am no longer a fan
of their pastries,” she said, adding that she and her friends would
just stop buying from them.
