Amid a long-standing controversy surrounding polygamy in Indonesia, a group promoting the polygamous lifestyle has announced a plan to file a judicial review against a number of articles in the 1974 Marriage Law, as it deems the articles discriminative against those committing the controversial practice.
=
=
Ludicrous, the backward element shrilling about the law being discriminative, when polygamy itself represents the vilest discriminatory affront to equity, giving men ample options to assuage their carnal needs but without corresponding privileges for women.
- And interesting that these sexist fanatics invoke that 1974 law.
If I remember right from my modern history books, it was meant to be a major reformist move but such was the rage among sectarian bigots that it was watered down. “Muslim criticism was directed at the Bill’s restrictions on polygamy and acceptance of interreligious mixed marriages.” [9] There were heated debates on the bill in the People’s Representative Assembly as well as protests by Muslim students. [10]
Even Suharto’s iron regime quailed before Islamist intolerance. As a result of the strong opposition and potential for serious unrest, an amended statute was enacted on January 2, 1974, that permitted polygamous marriage and excluded the provision that would have specifically allowed inter-religious marriages.[11]\http://www.loc.gov/law/help/religious-marriage.php
—————————
Strongman Suharto- ————–
So a golden opportunity to reinforce Indonesia’s position as a modern democratic nation was missed because of a pack of rowdy ‘student’ louts ( presumably barely educated pesantren primitives)and their equally intolerant elders.
However, fast forward….
- Here’s Fakhrul, of the Sakinah Polygamous Family Forum (FKPS) –
- “The one-family-one-wife rule has made it difficult for a polygamous family to obtain a family card, or birth certificates for their children. This is clearly discriminative as it [polygamy] is a part of the implementation of Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution that promotes religious freedom.”
Oh yeah?
Fakhrul, who claimed to have two wives, said Islamic teachings allowed Muslims to practice polygamy.
So?
Indonesia is not an Islamic Republic but a pluralist democracy, so unless and until the entire archipelago follows the primitive province of Aceh and adopts shariah law, propriety will prevail.
More or less. .
The Marriage Law upholds the principle of monogamy, but allows husbands to have multiple wives under certain conditions, including that of being married to a woman who is suffering from a serious illness and unable to bear a child.
Aha!
- Blatant discrimination enshrined in national legislation?
What about a woman married to a man with a serious illness? Or to a man who’s sterile and unable to give her a child?
Women like that should surely, equally, enjoy the right to an extra husband or two, if they can stand the idea!
Time for the UN or some other body of sticky-beaks to come in and tell Jakarta to shape up? Actually, that should not need to happen. There are a lot of intelligent Indonesians, who use their brains rather than stifle them with archaic dogma.
The National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) has urged the government to speed up an amendment to the Marriage Law to strengthen principles of monogamy. It recorded more than 70 polygamy cases involving public officials that ended up as sexual abuse cases in 2015.
But it will be an uphill struggle.
We reported on the bizarre sexist circular from the Defense Ministry last year…
… and there are numerous polygamists in high places.
The report names several, including Bin Laden fan Anis Matta.
–
https://rossrightangle.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/bin-laden-fan-takes-over-mb-clones-mired-in-bribe-row/
=======
You’d think with friends like Matta, polygamy would be even more abhorrent to normal folk – but Indonesia is a very unusual place. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/03/polygamists-file-judicial-review-marriage-law.html
Like this:
Like Loading...
Jim Ex Jakarts is discussing. 
rossrightangle 
Jim Ex Jakarts 18:49 on December 31, 2021 Permalink |
Have a great year in 2022, Ross.
You are not in Jakarta or I would have heard you, but again maybe not.
Nobody is allowed out tonight.
LikeLike