STRAITS TIMES INDONESIA BUREAU West Sumatra women must be home by 10 pm The curfew is aimed at stopping prostitution, but there are concerns it may lead to more fundamentalist laws that discriminate against women.

[ Wonder where the province of West Sumatra is? - click the link below. ] JAKARTA - Women in Indonesia's West Sumatra province will have to abide by a 10 pm curfew starting next month, when the provincial legislature passes a draft Bill aimed at 'curbing immoral activities'.

According to the Bill, no woman should be seen out on the streets between 10 pm and 6 am unless she is accompanied by her 'muhrim', the Quranic term for male relatives or husband.

The Bill is due for approval by the local legislature on June 12. Local councillors said the law was intended to reduce the number of prostitutes in Padang, the capital of the staunchly Muslim province.

'The current government regulation has not helped to resolve the problems of immorality,' said councillor Marfendi.He added: 'It is not discrimination. We are not forbidding women from going out at night, but they have to be accompanied by their muhrim.'The Bill stipulates that those found guilty of plying the streets will face a six-month jail term or a 5-million-rupiah (S$850) fine. Their names will also be published in the local media.

However, those who can prove that they are not prostitutes, even if they are found unaccompanied late at night, will be released immediately. The Bill also prohibits hotels from accepting guests between 10 pm and 6 am and from offering massage services. In addition, the local media are not allowed to 'expose and distribute information that is immoral'.

The law has drawn protests from women leaders in the province.Ms Titi Nazif Lubu, deputy chairman of West Sumatra's legislature, said: 'What if I just finish a meeting at 2 am? And what about women reporters or those who have just arrived from out of town?'

Academic Ranny Emilia also expressed concern.'I am afraid that this may lead to the issuance of more strange regulations that discriminate against women,' she said.

While the Bill makes no mention of the Islamic law or Syariah, it comes at a time when calls for the imposition of Islamic law are rife in some Indonesian provinces.

So far, only Aceh has officially imposed Syariah, although the lack of implementation guidelines has led to incidents where mobs see themselves as moral crusaders and attack those they perceive to be offenders.In provinces like

South Sulawesi and Riau, local Muslim figures have also been pushing for the imposition of Islamic law. [ how big is the province of Riau? map of provinces ]

Other areas like Ambon and Cianjur in West Java have informally applied the law with the endorsement of local leaders. In riot-torn Ambon, armed Muslim militant group Laskar Jihad has enforced Islamic law since early this year, raiding night establishments and physically restraining violators of the Syariah.Its leader, Jafar Umar Thalib, was arrested two weeks ago and is now under house arrest on charges of inciting hostility against a religion and ordering the murder of one of his followers, who was stoned to death in Maluku for committing adultery.

The regent of Cianjur, West Java, last month announced the imposition of the Syariah in the regency, emphasising prayer, charity and women's wearing of headscarves.

Posted on May 20, 2001, 11:18 AM