Police say no head scarves for policewomen in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): The City Police said on Friday that it strictly prohibits Muslim female officers to wear headscarves, unlike the recent ruling in Aceh forcing female officers to wear them.

"It's not permitted. It's also not practical in Jakarta," City Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said.

He said existing police regulations concerning policewomen's uniforms excluded the wearing of headscarves, adding that headscarves for Muslim policewomen is only mandatory in Aceh province.

Aceh Provincial Police chief Brig. Gen. Bachrumsyah last Monday officially launched new uniforms in the province, complete with headscarves for Muslim policewomen.

The use of headscarves by Acehnese policewomen is related to the special autonomy given to the predominantly Muslim province by the central government in Jakarta.

The Jakarta Police's stance received support from the Betawi (native Jakartan) Consultative Body (Bamus Betawi), a Betawi organization.

"There is no compulsion in religion," chairman of the organization, Abdul Syukur, said on Friday.

Even if a Betawi was one day elected as city governor, he or she should not force policewomen to wear headscarves, nor apply any other elements of Islamic law in the capital, he said.

"Jakarta is an international city. It's not applicable here," Syukur said.

Betawi governor

Sjukur also said Betawi people strongly hoped the next Jakarta governor would be Betawi. Since the country's independence 54 years ago, Jakarta has been always governed by a non-Betawi.

He said Bamus Betawi is now identifying some noted and capable Betawi people for the seat, including former University of Indonesia rector M.K. Tadjuddin, retired Army general M. Sanif, Deputy Governor for Social Welfare Affairs Djailani and City Secretary Fauzi Bowo.

"But the election process should be conducted constitutionally," he said.

Governor Sutiyoso will end his first five-year term in 2002. (ylt/jun)