Ulemas concerned over youth court bill

Ulemas concerned over youth court bill

JAKARTA (JP): The influential Indonesian Council of Ulemas
(MUI) warned the House of Representatives and the government of
possible conflicts arising from the deliberation of the
contentious bill on juvenile court.

The council said the government-sponsored bill, submitted to
the House by Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman in March, contains
elements which are potentially polarizing such as the adoption of
a child from one religion by adults of other faiths.

Chairman Hasan Basri told a hearing with the Golkar faction
members that the bill, if passed into law, may threaten national
unity.

He pointed out that the bill also strives to regulate some
affairs which are already regulated by existing laws, including
those on Islamic courts, marriage, and legal compilation.

In fact, the bill's ruling on issues such as the custody of
Moslem children runs counter to existing laws, he said, adding
that it has become a source of concern to Moslems.

In addition, if the bill was approved, there would be
overlapping of rulings, he said.

The council asked the government to take measures to improve
the document's content. "We ask that the government graciously
withdraw it and make necessary corrections," he said.

Council spokesman Bustanul Arifin, who is also head of the
team established by the council to study the bill, echoed
Chairman Hasan Basri's remarks when he told the meeting that the
bill's rulings on adoption are "dangerous" to national unity.

He identified a number of articles on adoption which he said
may cause conflicts between religious groups. The articles are
flawed because they do not give clear definitions about adoption,
and because they strive to approve adoption of children by adults
of any faith.

"It means Moslem children can be adopted by non-Moslem parents
or Moslem parents can adopt non-Moslem children," he said. He
pointed out that these particular articles are the greatest
source of worry for Moslems.

He also stressed that Islam does not recognize the concept of
adoption as it is generally and legally known, because it "cuts
the bond of children with their biological parents, something
which is rejected by Islam".

Islam has its own ruling about "adoption", in the sense that
Moslem adults can take neglected children or orphans into their
homes and rear them, while letting them maintain relations with
their biological parents, he said.

Golkar faction chairman Moestahid Astari promised the ulemas
that the faction would discuss the council's views with the
government. "The council's concerns are ours, too," he said.

Separately, Ismu Saputro from the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction
told The Jakarta Post there is the possibility that the bill
would not be passed this year.

Ismu, who is also a member of a special committee entrusted
with the deliberation of the bill, said it would take the House a
longer time than usual to discuss the controversial issues in the
bill.

"It would probably be passed after the general election in
1997 or even in 1998," he said. (01)