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Commission probes cleric for marrying 12-year-old
Adianto Simamora and Suherdjoko , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta, Semarang | Sun, 10/26/2008 11:00 AM | Headlines
The government-sanctioned Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) said on Saturday it had sent a team to Semarang to investigate reports of a marriage between a rich cleric and a 12-year old. The cleric was also quoted as saying he planned to marry several other minors apart from the girl, Lutfiana Ulfa.
Police said they would check, among other matters, whether Puji had slept with the child bride.
"We want to clarify first with Ulfa's parents whether the marriage has taken place before taking any action," the KPAI chairwoman Masnah Sari told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
She said that the KPAI would also question the girl's parents, the minister or penghulu who married the couple and witnesses of the marriage between Ulfa and the cleric Pujiono Cahyo, known as Syech Puji. Puji, who reached fame after donating billions of rupiah to the poor in the last Ramadan fasting month, had said the marriage of Aug. 8 was attended by "thousands" of people at his home.
"If the marriage has taken place, the KPAI itself will take legal action as this would violate at least six laws," she said.
Masnah said marriage with a minor violates the laws on child protection, marriage, health, labor and welfare. The criminal code also states that any sexual involvement with minors is a crime. The law on child protection defines children as those under 18 and threatens those who marry or authorize marriages with minors with a maximum of five years in jail or a fine of Rp 100 million.
The 1974 marriage law says a woman must be at least 16 to marry.
Snr. Comr. Syahroni of the Central Java police said the police would investigate the case. "We will ask whether Puji has slept (with his new wife)," he said. He added police had only heard that the case involved marriage made valid under religion (kawin siri), which is allowed in the marriage law.
The Network for Women and Children in Semarang, Agnes Widanti, was quoted Friday demanding that the police immediately take up the case, given that Puji had married a minor.
"His actions are clearly an exploitation of children although the marriage was agreed to by her guardians," Agnes said.
Although different laws set different ages for minors Masnah of the Child Protection Commission said that if the marriage has yet to occur the KPAI would ask the Religious Affairs Minister to issue a letter ordering all Muslim ministers across the country to refuse to participate in the marriage, should Puji request their services.
She said that the team's findings could also be used to verify whether Puji could be categorized as a pedophile if he had sexual relations with children.
Puji, a 43-year old businessman, has also revealed his intention to marry two more girls, aged seven and nine, in the near future.
"But this time I won't announce (the marriages) since it would create more criticism because the girls are younger," Puji said, adding that he planned to marry seven women including his first, 26-year-old wife. Islam allows a man to marry up to four wives.
On Saturday Kompas.com quoted the Central Java chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council saying that no one should marry minors.
As the prerequisites for marriage are "material and mental preparation", Ahmad Rofiq, UI's secretary general said, "How are children to understand love and devotion?" in a marriage, he said.
If the child bride already had her menstruation, "she would suddenly have to have a child," thus threatening her mental state, he said.
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Mike (not verified) — Tue, 10/28/2008 - 4:24pm
great! if the people life their life in the old age then this will appear. in this case the religion provides pedophile old men. this would not be possible in europe or any other developed foreign country by law. here is everything possible if you have money and all the muslims who scream for family are joining a wedding of this pedophile old men.
the pornographi bill should look for people like him and not for artist or bikini girls.
a really krotesk country- unbelieveble -. its a shame to be part of it...
Libby (not verified) — Tue, 10/28/2008 - 12:17pm
God must be crying to night for these young girls that have been shoved into a marriage with a filthy old man. Mere children to be used as vessels for his perversion. He is the infidel, yes a disappointment to God twisting in his own lust. He is like a dog that can not control his own desire. One who must steal innocence to achieve his glory. Weep for the children and may God have mercy upon his soul.
A. Farouk (not verified) — Tue, 10/28/2008 - 10:51am
What boggles me is this depraved human, or "sheikh", thinks this is admissible in Islam and uses the prophet as example.
Firstly, the middle east is a very tribal region where marrying another tribe's daughter was a way of cementing allegiance. If the prophet were to decline Abu Bakr's offer, do people realize the consequnces (politically) would be?
Secondly, this is your typical run-of-the-mill "sheikh" whose understanding of Islam is based on only one point of view (Wahhabi Islam), under only one dimension - that is only theological. Those Wahhabis "jurists" and "sheikhs" have long ago stopped thinking and have put blinders on everything they see. And this is the result, a backward and regressive Ummah.
Muslims should know that what is commanded in the Quran is Law, anything else ie the Sunnah) is open for debate - no matter how some people think airtight it may be.
I hope this "sheikh" is put to jail - along with the parents of the child. They have all betrayed that which have been entrusted on them.
And on another note, good riddance to Amrozi and those other "smiling" killers. They wanted "martyrdom"? At least they will get half of what they want, their own death.
Paul E. Rantau (not verified) — Tue, 10/28/2008 - 4:31am
Indonesia has a law that clearly states a woman needs to be at least 16 years old to be married. This so-called cleric 'unofficially' married a child of 12 (known as 'siri') would open up the floodgate of oversexed men who are cashed up to marry young girls, if the government, the police and those who claim to be moral allowed the practice unpunished!
Left unchecked thousands of impoversihed village girls would for all intents and purposes be sold to legalized prostitution. To prevent such sickening practice and for the protection of young girls the law was enacted.
The cleric was quoted as saying he would be marrying more girls younger than 12! The Indonesians have suffered a great deal from poverty, rampant official corruption, mismanagement and diseases over these last decades. Are we to suffer further from moral degradation of not protecting our children?
Asti (not verified) — Mon, 10/27/2008 - 3:48pm
Arrest him and stick him in jail!!! This filthy, sick, and arrogant man has violated Indonesian law.
R.Astari (not verified) — Mon, 10/27/2008 - 1:44pm
Wow, I've read those 2 comments too, btw. Full of misogynicism. How pathetic.
There's nothing I despise more than a total hypocrite using his "Sheik" title to do such an absurd act. Unless if the stupid porn bill legalizes underage marriage too.*rolls eyes*
That's it. This country is doomed by sick, perverted hypocrites hiding behind religious laws. (And please, don't they dare bring up The Holy Prophet's Name just to justify what they do. I think that's a total shame and disgrace!)
David, Jakarta (not verified) — Mon, 10/27/2008 - 10:48am
Instead of debating the finer points of what might or might not constitute pornography, I suggest the authorities devote their energies to stamping out practises like this one that clearly break existing laws.
Iain (not verified) — Mon, 10/27/2008 - 10:39am
This should be taken hold of by those opposed by the porn bill and shown that the porn bill will do nothing to protect women and children.
Also, for all those idiots who write in talking about how Western countries are to blame for the ills in Indonesian society, please take a look at yourselves before you point the finger. Remember, when you point the finger, there is one pointing forward, but three pointing back.
Indonesia's problems are not because of foreigners, but because you sweep your problems under the carpet.
Schmerly (not verified) — Mon, 10/27/2008 - 9:56am
Why did The Jakarta Post bother to print the comments of these two (or is it one?) Bunker Speckels, Joe Sixpack, whoever it is it’s obvious that the author of the comments is a total uneducated backward thinking people, to suggest that it’s this young girls fault for seducing this pervert, this smacks of paedophilia from both the authors and the old pervert himself.
Brother in arms (not verified) — Mon, 10/27/2008 - 9:07am
another cow is drowning and we shall celebrate for it. rich man, poor man...