If the political party Masjumi was the most important institution of politics during the revolution, then the Ministry of Religion is the most important institution that has lasted until today. It was not able to accomplish much in its first few years, but it has grown into a bulwark for Islamic interests in the Indonesian government. Today, the creation of this separate ministry might seem to have been natural or unavoidable in Indonesian politics, but in the early days of the Republic the establishment of this ministry was a very contentious issue.