NU rejects sharia for Criminal Code<\/p>\n
A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The country's largest Muslim organization the Nahdlatul Ulama
\n(NU) rejected on Friday the inclusion of sharia in the planned
\namendment to the Criminal Code (KUHP), saying it would create
\ndisputes between people of different religions or even among
\nMuslim groups.<\/p>\n
"The inclusion of sharia would create conflict between
\nreligions and even among Muslims here," NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
Instead, Hasyim suggested that universal principles such as
\njustice and equality, which could be accepted by all religions
\nand groups, be incorporated in the draft KUHP.<\/p>\n
He agreed that the prevailing KUHP, which was based on a
\nsimilar code in the Netherlands and applied here by Dutch
\ncolonialists, should be reviewed as it was out of date and some
\nof its articles were no longer relevant.<\/p>\n
NU, which has around 40 million members around the country,
\nhas frequently opposed attempts by minority but vocal Islamic
\ngroups to include sharia in the Constitution and laws.<\/p>\n
Among Muslim groups there is no single interpretation of
\nsharia as it is based on teachings from many noted ulemas who had
\nvarious interpretations of the two main sources of Islamic law --
\nthe Koran and Hadith (the deeds of prophet Muhammad).<\/p>\n
Islamic groups that base their teachings on puritanism and
\nWahabism (a branch of Islamic teaching from Saudi Arabia) have
\ngrown over the past few years and are demanding the adoption of
\nsharia.<\/p>\n
The groups failed to have sharia included in the amendments to
\nthe Constitution last year, but they managed to have their
\ninterests included in the Education Law endorsed in June this
\nyear.<\/p>\n
The planned review of the KUHP, which is being drafted by the
\nMinistry of Justice and Human Rights, is suspected to be a ploy
\nto include sharia.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mehendra
\nearlier admitted that the review was to accommodate particular
\ngroups who were demanding the implementation of sharia.<\/p>\n
Yusril, who also chairs the Crescent Star Party (PBB), has
\nlong fought for the adoption of sharia.<\/p>\n
The government also faces sharp criticism for its plan to
\ncriminalize black magic and private matters related to sex,
\nincluding oral sex, cohabitation and sodomy.<\/p>\n
Critics have suggested that the government revise some of the
\n"repressive" articles contained in KUHP such as on libel, which
\nis often used against the mass media in an effort to silence
\ncritical voices.<\/p>\n
Under the libel article, the South Jakarta District Court
\nsentenced Rakyat Merdeka daily chief editor Karim Paputungan last
\nmonth to five months in prison with 10 months probation for
\nprinting a caricature deemed insulting to House of
\nRepresentatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung, while the daily's
\nexecutive editor Supratman faces a one-year prison term on
\ncharges of defaming President Megawati Soekarnoputri in several
\narticles published by the daily.<\/p>\n
Tempo magazine chief editor Bambang Harymurti and two
\njournalists are being tried for defaming businessman Tomy Winata
\nand allegedly spreading untruths in the magazine's coverage of a
\nmajor fire in Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta in February.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nu-rejects-sharia-for-criminal-code-1447893297",
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