Police under pressure from Islamic groups for jilbab ban

Jakarta, NU Online
The country’s oldest Islamic party has a bee in its bonnet about a prohibition on female police officers wearing an Islamic headscarf, or jilbab.<>

Lukman Hakim Saefuddin, a senior legislator from the United Development Party (PPP), said on Thursday that the policy constituted a human rights violation and demanded that the National Police revoke the prohibition.

“It specifically violates the right to religious freedom and to practice one’s faith, which is protected under the Constitution,” he said.

“All other government institutions and agencies allow their female staff to wear a jilbab, and it has had no negative impact on their work whatsoever.”

He warned of a massive backlash from Islamic organizations if the police refused to change their policy.

“I hope that they immediately implement a change to the regulations to allow female police officers to wear a jilbab, before there’s an even bigger outcry from the public,” Lukman said.

Under a 2005 regulation, uniformed female police officers are not allowed to wear a jilbab because it restricts their peripheral vision and mobility and is thus seen as hampering their performance.

However, plainclothes officers are allowed to wear a jilbab, while all Muslim female police officers in Aceh province, which observes Shariah law, are required to wear the head covering.

The regulation has only recently stirred public debate after being raised by Islamic groups including Muhammadiyah, the country’s second-biggest Islamic organization. The police’s response to the calls has been mixed.

Gen. Timur Pradopo, the National Police chief who is set to retire in a few months’ time, said on Wednesday that the police force was open to the possibility of revoking the prohibition and allowing uniformed officers to wear a jilbab if they chose to do so.

Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto, a National Police spokesman, also said that the regulation could easily be revised, but that until then, the prohibition would hold.

However, Comr. Gen. Nanan Sukarna, the deputy police chief, said there were good reasons for the prohibition and that any officer found violating it should just as well hang up her uniform.

“If it bothers you so much, you can resign or choose not to be a police officer,” he said on Friday.

“There’s no excuse for violating the dress regulations.”

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq