Cross-Religious Enrollment of Suku Laut Students in Bintan Madrasahs

This research examines religious moderation at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Negeri (MIN) 1 Bintan, focusing on the children of the Sea Tribe from Kampung Panglong, Desa Village, Bintan Regency, Riau Islands Province, who choose to attend this madrasah despite being Catholic and Protestant. This study employs historical research methods, with data collection through field interviews and literature studies. The results indicate that in the 2024/2025 academic year, there are 10 non-Muslim children from the Sea Tribe attending MIN 1 Bintan. There are three main factors that lead them to choose this school: first, the relatively close distance to their village; second, the historical factor, as since the 1990s, Sea Tribe children have been attending MIN 1 Bintan and the school has actively approached the Sea Tribe leader to facilitate their education; and third, the comfort factor, where Sea Tribe children feel comfortable attending school MIN 1 Bintan. In practice, there are four well-maintained indicators of religious moderation in this school, namely national commitment, tolerance among students of different ethnicities and religions, the absence of coercion to convert to another religion or wear Islamic attributes, and the absence of violence and respect for the local culture of the Sea Tribe. These findings show that MIN 1 Bintan can become a pilot madrasah for religious moderation in Riau Islands Province.