Islamic candidates mum on polygamy

Islamic candidates mum on polygamy

A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Realizing their demographic power, Islamic political parties are
working hard to win women's votes in the April 5 legislative
election. A no-less important strategy is avoiding sensitive
issues like polygamy, permitted in Islam.

Interviewed by The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, Nursanita
Nasution of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Aisyah Amini
of the United Development Party (PPP) said their parties would
support all measures to ensure better protection for women.

Both parties would soon deliberate bills on domestic violence
and discrimination in the workplace, they said.

However both admitted their parties would not oppose polygamy
openly, despite strong opposition against the practice from
feminists and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

While she was not completely against polygamy, Nursanita, who
heads the PKS' women's department, said none of her party's
executives had more than one wife.

"My party once sanctioned an party executive who neglected one
of his wives," the party's legislative candidate for Jakarta,
said.

PPP senior legislator Aisyah Amini suggested strict
requirements restricting polygamy should be implemented, instead
of completely rejecting the practice.

"Although polygamy is not banned in Islam, it imposes tough
requirements and many men have violated these. We should probably
focus on this issue," Aisyah said.

During Soeharto's 32 year-tenure, the government restricted
polygamy, imposing a regulation on civil servants that forced
them to obtain prior permission from their current wife and their
boss if they wanted to marry again.

However, since Soeharto's downfall in May 1998, the rule has
largely been ignored.

Nursanita and Aisyah also disagreed with the inclusion of
polygamy as a criteria in a "rotten" politicians list recently
issued by a group of NGOs.

"It is a sensitive issue among Muslims here. Making polygamy a
criteria for a rotten politicians is not right," Nursanita, a
lecturer at the University of Indonesia's School of Economics,
said.

She suggested another general criterion, such as male
candidates who abused their wives.

The National Movement Against Rotten Politicians earlier
issued a list of corrupt legislative candidates.

It mentioned four ways to qualify, including human rights
violations, damaging the environment, corruption and violence
against women. Polygamy was considered one form of violence
against women.

The group listed four legislative candidates considered to
have committed violence against women -- two candidates each from
the PKS and PPP in relation to polygamy. Some PPP executives,
including its leader, Indonesian Vice President Hamzah Haz, are
known to have more than one wife.

Smita Notosusanto of the Center for Electoral Reforms (Cetro)
admitted the polygamy issue was a controversial issue among the
public.

"But we wouldn't consider them 'rotten politicians' (because
they had more than one wife). Let the people decide (whether they
are electable)," she said.

Many Muslim women activists are developing new interpretations of
Islamic teachings that could be used to ban polygamy.