Why reject a female president?

The vehemence with which some of my fellow Muslims have rejected a female president has pushed me to ask Muslim clerics, prominent figures, leaders and statesmen from Muslim circles about the following:

1. Using the same reference, i.e. the Koran and the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, why could Pakistan and Bangladesh, which are clearly Muslim republics/states, appoint a woman as their prime minister? Also Turkey, with a majority Muslim population, although it is a secular country, has a female prime minister.

2. If a woman is neither suitable for nor entitled to the presidency, does this logic also apply to the leading position in a neighborhood, village, province, mass organization, company or ministry where there are both male and female members?

3. If the woman in question does not bear the name of Megawati Soekarnoputri, but she is Aisah Amini (one of the chairs of the board of the United Development Party) or Dewi Fortuna Anwar, would you still persist in rejecting a woman as president?

4. If you yourself had a mother, a wife, or a daughter who is loved and respected and given the trust by the majority of the people (who are also Muslim) through a just and fair general election, would you waylay her and prohibit her from taking the post?

5. Who do you appreciate better, a male like Eddy Tanzil (the BAPINDO swindler) or a female like Wardah Hafidz (coordinator of the Urban Poor Consortium)?

I hope that there are Muslim clerics and prominent Muslim figures who will honestly and objectively -- speaking from their clear conscience -- respond to my letter and convince me that a woman named Megawati Soekarnoputri is neither entitled to nor suitable for Indonesia's presidency.

WISDARMANTO

Jakarta