Gus Dur's remarks on Megawati were 'sexist'

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid's remarks about his vice president at Wednesday's announcement of the new Cabinet have angered women's rights campaigners.

"In a way it was dismissive. I think there was an element of sexism. Would he ever say that of a male colleague?" sociologist Julia Suryakusuma said.

Abdurrahman said Megawati Soekarnoputri was not present because she wanted to have a bath. "You can't stop a woman," he said.

Titi Soentoro from the Women's Solidarity organization said: "Have we ever heard Abdurrahman saying, 'Marzuki (Attorney General Marzuki Darusman) had to go home to go to the toilet?'"

"Ethics and decency are needed of a statesman," Titi said of the President's "reckless" remarks.

Julia added that the most serious part of the affair was that the President "was obviously lying".

At such a critical time the Vice President would not be going home to have a bath, she said.

Thus the more serious implication, she said, was "that the rift between Gus Dur and Megawati has gone deeper than we thought."

She added the communication problems between the two would affect the continuity of government, noting Abdurrahman's reportedly last minute changes to the Cabinet line-up.

"How is Megawati supposed to do her job if she's not happy with the Cabinet?" Julia said, while also expressing doubt as to whether Megawati was competent to take charge of the technical details of the administration, as the President has instructed her to do.

Both leaders are authoritarian and stubborn but they are the only solidarity makers available at this time, she added.

Myra Diarsi of the Kalyanamitra women's organization said she laughed when she read what the President had said but was disgusted at the leaders.

"It just shows they're both childish. Megawati wasn't satisfied and she didn't turn up while Abdurrahman went on to insult her. It's not worth making a fuss of."

State Minister for Women's Empowerment Khofifah Indar Parawansa maintained that Abdurrahman's remark was not malicious.

"It was truly her words when she wanted to go home. Gus Dur just repeated the words as it was," Khofifah told The Jakarta Post.

She added that for Abdurrahman gender equality is something he truly believes in. "Many senior women activists will confirm this". (dja/anr)