Gus Dur's remarks on Megawati were 'sexist'

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)