Ban on headdress revoked

BOGOR (JP): Karya Bhakti Foundation director Soebagio has apologized for all inconveniences and blamed a hospital staffer for all the problems concerning a female doctor who was prohibited from wearing a headdress on duty.

"There were no such explicit rule on headdress apparel.

"It's only a joke by one of my staff who said that it's not appropriate to wear the headdress in the hospital," Soebagio told a group of visiting Bogor councillors in his office on Tuesday.

The councillors came to Karya Bhakti hospital on Tuesday because of a complaint filed by Dr. Yunida Ratnawati, who claimed that she had been warned repeatedly by the hospital management to remove her Islamic headdress (jilbab) or be fired.

Yunida said the hospital management since last June had asked her to remove her headdress on duty. The management even issued a warning letter saying that she had violated the hospital's regulation. (21/09)