Letter: Wearing a headscarf is a choice

I recently read the article in The Jakarta Post about the headscarf bylaw in Tasikmalaya, West Java.

I do not agree with the headscarf bylaw in the municipality, or in any other municipality within the Republic of Indonesia.

Wearing a headscarf should be a woman’s choice, and imposing this kind of restriction is not only unconstitutional but a form of discrimination against women.

I agree that, preferably, Muslim women should avoid wearing short skirts, tops with low necklines and exposing their upper arms.

For instance, they should choose their attire more carefully, such as pant suits, long skirts or pants to cover their derrieres with long-sleeved tops covering their bare arms.

However, a headscarf should be a woman’s choice.

I do understand that with the pronouncement of “autonomy” for parts of Indonesia, it is legal for them to draft and enact their own bylaws. But the Indonesian government, especially President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, should detail the rules of the game.

If not, I wouldn’t be surprised if this country became an Islamic state and no longer represented the Republic of Indonesia based on Pancasila.

Dewi Rais
Jakarta