A woman for president<\/p>\n
With reference to the future presidency of Indonesia, I was
\nsurprised and disappointed by the recent remarks made by
\n\"reformist\" Amien Rais and Abdurrahman Wahid, which only serve to
\nsupport the political camp that opposes the choice of \"a woman\"
\nfor Indonesia's next president. By their refusal to state openly
\ntheir support for the basic right for women to hold the
\npresidential office, they appear to have thrown their lot in with
\nsuch political figures as Hamzah Haz of the United Development
\nParty (PPP), whose fellow party member Amir Syafruddin last year
\nstarted the whole ugly circle of doubt regarding whether, in the
\neyes of Islam, a woman should be allowed to hold the position of
\npresident.<\/p>\n
First, I should say that, as a person who embraces the
\nessence of all religions, I believe that God is far closer to us
\nthan we may realize and that the real mosque, church or place of
\nworship is in the human heart. As an old adage goes, \"If one
\ncannot find a temple within one's heart, one will never find
\none's heart in any temple.\"<\/p>\n
Second, I read the Koran many years ago before visiting
\nIndonesia and I felt the Holy Book to be inspirational and
\nenlightening. However, I do not recall having read within the
\nscripture any mention of the word \"president\". Of course, there
\nwere no presidents or vice presidents in the days of Prophet
\nMuhammad. Nevertheless, there were leaders that ruled small or
\nlarge groups of mainly feudal peoples, but it should be
\nremembered that those leaders of Islamic, and non-Islamic,
\nsocieties were not chosen as most leaders of the countries of the
\nworld are today -- by the people's democratic majority vote.<\/p>\n
Those political figures who weave their tangled webs in the
\nname of religion in the run-up to the election of a president, I
\nfeel, are creating enormous divisions with society and should
\nknow better.<\/p>\n
Not only do they appear to be driving a wedge between the
\nvarious religious communities that make up Indonesia, they are
\nacting in a selfish, distasteful and discriminatory manner
\nagainst women, who, incidentally, make up approximately one-half
\nof the entire population. I cannot help but feel that Ibu
\nKartini, the champion of Indonesian women's rights -- so
\nconveniently forgotten about in Jakarta's political circles --
\nmust be weeping a thousand tears in her heavenly abode at this
\npresent time.<\/p>\n
Oddly, political parties were not permitted to use religion as
\na platform during the campaign for votes. But now it has become
\nclear for everyone to see that a large religious platform is
\nbeing erected in preparation for the election of a president. Is
\nthis not blatant hypocrisy?<\/p>\n
ROBIN HOLMAN<\/p>\n
Sanur, Bali<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-woman-for-president-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }