MUI, Muhammadiyah may issue edict on women presidents

MUI, Muhammadiyah may issue edict on women presidents

JAKARTA (JP): Two influential Islamic organizations, the
Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) and Muhammadiyah, said they
would issue fatwa (religious edicts) on women presidents if the
people asked them to take a stance on the controversial issue.

MUI deputy chairman Amidhan said after meeting with President
B.J. Habibie the council's congress, planned for July 23 to July
26, would discuss the issue if "the government, on behalf of the
people, wants us to do so".

A cautious Amidhan said the council did not wish to enter
areas beyond its traditional focus of attention. "(Religious)
edicts which are political in nature are often politicized or
condemned by interest groups," he said.

Separately, the chairman of Muhammadiyah's law-making body, M.
Amin Abdullah, was quoted by Antara as saying in the East Java
town of Malang his organization would take a stance on the issue
when the time was right.

"We will take a stance on the next presidency, whether a woman
or a man should hold the position, but we are waiting for the
right time," Amin said.

He said the law-making bodies of local Muhammadiyah chapters
were currently discussing the issue, and the results would be
submitted to the organization's central board.

"Actually, it doesn't matter whether it's a man or a woman
who's the next head of state, as long as the criteria for
presidents in general are met at all levels," he said. "The two
most important factors are capability and acceptability."

He said women could become leaders at all levels of government
as long as they were capable, trustworthy and subject to public
control through existing social and political structures.

The controversy over whether the predominately-Muslim
Indonesia could accept a woman president gained strength after it
became evident Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) would win the general
election.

Ulemas from Indonesia's largest Islamic organization,
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), have given conflicting statements about
women presidents. The 18 most senior Islamic law experts from NU
gathered at Lirboyo boarding school in the East Java town of
Kediri on July 10 to discuss the issue, and on Wednesday
announced the results of their discussion.

The ulema said none of the current presidential candidates --
Megawati, incumbent President B.J. Habibie, Amien Rais and
Abdurrahman Wahid -- met Islam's stringent requirements for
leadership.

They said a president should be a mujtahid (a scholar of
Islamic law). They also recommended the next president be al
quwah (capable), al amanah (trustworthy, honest), al adalah
(just) and responsible for the "worldly and spiritual" welfare of
his or her people.

The ulema suggested the people elect the person with the
fewest shortcomings. They also said that whoever was elected
president would be considered mutawali dharuri bisyaukah, or an
emergency leader.

Meanwhile, expressions of support for Megawati and Habibie
continued to roll in. In Medan, hundreds of people continued to
collect bloody thumbprints as a sign of support for Megawati.

In Jakarta, representatives of a communication forum for
mosque activists and Muslim youths, known as BKPRMI, declared
their support for Habibie.

In its congress, the forum agreed to mobilize its members
across the country "to safeguard this aspiration", according to
chairman Baharuddin H. Tanriwali, as quoted by Antara.

Islamic parties did not fare as well as secular and
nationalist parties in the June 7 polls. United Development Party
(PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz responded to the defeat by promising to
combine the forces of Islamic parties to form an Islamic faction
in the House of Representatives.

He said the faction would be a "center of power" in the
upcoming General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly
strong enough to challenge PDI Perjuangan.

"I have confidence in that," he said as quoted by Antara
following a meeting with the chairman of the Ka'bah Youth
Movement.

The youth organization announced its support for Habibie.
Accompanied by PPP deputy chairman A.M. Saefuddin,
representatives from the organization recently met with Habibie.
(39/40/prb/swe)