The debate between Mochtar Lutfi and Nadjamoeddin Daeng Malewa regardinga ministry of religion within Negara Indonesia Timur (The State of East Indonesia), 1946–1950

This article discusses the debate that took place in Negara Indonesia Timur (The State of East Indonesia) regarding a proposal to form a ministry of religion. This article specifically analyzes the reasoning of those promoting and opposing its formation. The main sources of this article are the SEI archives stored in the South Sulawesi Provincial Archives, magazines and newspapers obtained from the Southeast Asia Collection at Leiden University. The debate occurred between Mochtar Lutfi and his colleagues on one hand and Nadjamoeddin Daeng Malewa on the other. According to Mochtar Lutfi, the existence of a ministry of religion is a proof of the state’s partiality to people who adhere to certain religions, especially Islam. As for Malewa, the ministry of religion reflects the decline of a nation. After going through various pressures, the SEI government finally established a Minister of State to deal with Islamic matters during the Second Cabinet of Nadjamoeddin Daeng Malewa. However, it only lasted for four months and dissolved following the end of the Malewa Cabinet. Subsequent cabinets never set up any ministries again dealing with religious matters up to the breakup of the State of East Indonesia.