'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.