'Politics' behind edict agaisnt woman president
'Politics' behind edict agaisnt woman president
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Semarang/Surabaya
Secretary-general of the state-sponsored Indonesian Ulemas
Council (MUI) Din Syamsuddin said on Monday the edict (fatwa)
recently issued by a number of ulema that effectively banned
women from serving as president, was politically motivated.
"This fatwa is full of political motives. So, we will not
discuss it," Din, who is also deputy chairman of the country's
second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, told reporters.
The clerics said last week that voting for women as leaders
was forbidden under Islam, when elaborating on a five-point edict
which said they supported the decision of the National Awakening
Party (PKB) to endorse Gen. (ret) Wiranto as a presidential
candidate and Solahuddin Wahid as his running mate.
Solahuddin is a respected cleric from the Nahdlatul Ulama, the
country's largest Muslim organization, to which the above clerics
belong.
The edict, which was issued in Pasuruan, East Java, said the
clerics supported the PKB's endorsement of the candidates; that
Muslims and other Indonesians should also vote for Wiranto and
Solahuddin; that they supported the pair's campaign teams; that
all NU members should use their voting rights; and that NU
members should maintain unity ahead of the elections.
When pressed for an explanation, clerics added that it was
haram for Muslims to elect female leaders.
Megawati and her running mate Hasyim Muzadi, who is NU's
chairman (who has temporarily stepped aside since standing), were
nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
to stand in the country's first ever direct presidential election
on July 5.
Din said the edict could benefit both male and female
candidates.
"Megawati could use the edict to say that she was being
oppressed. So, we should not blow up the issue," he said.
On Monday, several women's groups in Denpasar and Semarang,
Central Java, also blasted the "discriminatory" edict. About 250
women from various groups protested in front of the MUI offices
in Semarang.
On Sunday, a number of noted figures, including UIN rector
Azyumardi Azra, executive director of the Center for Electoral
Reform Smita Notosusanto and National Commission on Human Rights
member Zoemrotin K. Soesilo signed a joint statement against the
edict.
NU's acting chairman Masdar F. Mas'udi said earlier that his
organization had banned ulema from issuing such an edict, saying
that males and females have equal rights to become president.
Masdar said that verses in Koran and hadiths (sayings of the
prophet Muhammad) that were used as the basis for the edict
should not be interpreted as banning women from becoming leaders.
He said the verses should be viewed as a call for men to
protect women and a ban against absolute power by both male and
female leaders.
In 1999, some Islam-based political parties, including the
United Development Party chaired by Hamzah Haz -- the current
Vice President -- rejected Megawati's presidential candidacy
based on her gender.
On Tuesday, Megawati and Hasyim plan to meet several noted
ulemas in East Java, which is a NU stronghold. The ulemas will
include Idris Marzuki of Kediri, Ali Mashuri of Sidoarjo and
Fawaid As'ad of Situbondo, at the Sidogiri Islamic school in
Pasuruan, East Java.
"It's just a usual meeting between ulemas and candidates.
There will be no statement of support," Mutawakil Allalah,
chairman of the Megawati-Hasyim Team, said on Monday.
Mutawakil also said the planned meeting was not intended to
challenge the edict banning a female leader.