The Jakarta Globe, January 07, 2013
Bogor. The Indonesian government will review a plan to introduce a bylaw banning female passengers from straddling motorcycles in the Aceh city of Lhokseumawe.
“[It will be reviewed] whether the bylaw is too much or [whether] it is to maintain the tradition,” said Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi on Monday.
“If it is to maintain the tradition, it is alright. [But] it should be studied first [to find out] what is the purpose of the regulation.”
Gamawan, who was speaking on the side of the cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Bogor, said that he would need to know the reasoning behind the regulation first.
“Is there any reason for this that makes women [look] as if [they are] inviting crimes,” he said. “It should be studied first.”
While the Home Affairs Ministry has not received a copy of the draft regulation, Gamawan said that it could be annulled by the central government, adding that his ministry annulled 173 bylaws in 2012.
Suaidi Yahya, the mayor of Lhokseumawe, recently told the Jakarta Globe that he wanted to introduce the bylaw because he had seen people's behavior and morals straying too far from Aceh's Islamic cultural values.
“We want to save women from things that will cause them to violate Shariah law,” he said. “We wish to honor women with this ban, because they are delicate creatures.”
Gamawan said it would take up to one month to evaluate the bylaw.
ma 7 jan 2013 - 8:10