Indonesia province to ban women straddling motorbikes

An Acehnese woman straddles on a motorbike in Lhokseumawe in Indonesia, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. / AP

Lhokseumawe, Indonesia Authorities in Indonesia's Aceh province are pressing ahead with a proposed Islamic law that would ban female passengers from straddling motorbikes despite reported opposition from the central government.

Aceh introduced a version of Shariah, or Islamic law, in 2009, after it gained autonomy from the government in a 2005 peace deal to end a long-running separatist war there. The Aceh laws regulate women's dress and public morality, require shops and other places to close at prayer time, and are enforced by a special unit. Punishments can include public caning.

• Punk rockers' mohawks shaved by police in Indonesia

On Monday, authorities in northern Aceh distributed a notice to government offices and villages informing residents of the proposed law, which would apply to adolescent girls and women. It states that women are not allowed to straddle motorbikes unless it's an "emergency," and are not allowed to hold onto the driver.

Suaidi Yahya, mayor of the Aceh city of Lhokseumawe, said a ban was needed because the "curves of a woman's body" are more visible when straddling a motorbike than when sitting sideways with legs dangling.

"Muslim women are not allowed to show their curves, it's against Islamic teachings," he said, declining to give details of what the punishment would be for violators.

Last week, Home Ministry officials told local media they would try to block the law because it was discriminatory.

While rare in the West, riding sidesaddle on a motorbike is common in much of Southeast Asia, particularly for women wearing skirts. There appear to have been no studies on which is safer, straddling or riding sidesaddle, though many women say they feel more secure and comfortable straddling.

Nurjanah Ismail, a lecturer on gender issues at the Ar Raniry Islamic Institute in Aceh's capital, Banda Aceh, criticized the proposed law.

"There is no need to question this practice, let alone regulate it, because people do it for safety," she said. "Women sitting in that way cannot be considered bad or in violation of Shariah. Islam is beautiful, so do not make it difficult."

It is unclear how popular the Shariah provisions are with locals in Aceh, which while devout by Indonesian standards is a far cry from parts of Pakistan or the Middle East. Enforcement of laws is patchy and mostly targets young men and women. Caning, when applied, typically is aimed at causing humiliation rather than pain.

Since 2005, many other regions in Indonesia have issued Shariah-inspired bylaws that ban such things as alcohol or tight clothing, alarming rights activists and others who value the country's secular heritage. The government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, which relies on the support of Muslim political parties, has not spoken out against the laws, much less challenge them.

[1pheasant1]

"Punk rockers' mohawks shaved by police in Indonesia"

I was wondering what Mitt Romney was doing for employment. Now I know.

[cbsblogger]

Religious fundamentalists be they Muslim, Christian or Jewish are a threat to standards of society.

[Type_Z]

You have included Sharia law.

[bobnjersey]

[@ BOBNJERSEY,........Enough, we get that at one time, almost 100 YEARS ago, women did not have the right to vote in the west. We have progressed. That is the POINT. Unlike "The West", as you keep calling it, countries that embrace Sharia Law still denegrate and subjugate women. You are not making a point with your comments, you are proving OUR point.]
-----------------------------------------------
what is your point again?

that as long as you're doing it ... it's ok ... and as soon as you 'progress' ... we shouldn't talk about what you once deemed perfectly appropriate and acceptable ... and apply your newly found righteousness for everyone else?

how about everyone being able to ride motorcycles naked ... can anyone do that without being arrested in western cultures ... or even do that on a beach?

why are those who choose to do that being ostracized and persecuted? shouldn't we have progressed further than that by now?

what about equal pay for woman ... why hasn't that been corrected by your 'progressive' view? aren't you still subjugating woman by accepting that as normal? why haven't you 'progressed' on that already?

when you decide to 'progress' w/ these issues ... will it then be wrong for all others who haven't come along w/ your thinking ... wrong for them to be 'living in the past' w/ that old thinking you've moved on from?

judging others by your own standard is the problem.

this story is about dresscode standards for adherents to a religion ... for which there are also standards for men as well. although you may not agree with them ... they are there for a reason ... a reason that they see as perfectly valid and appropriate ... even if 'you' don't see it that way.

they see 'your' progressive lifestyle as the problem ... and their rules as the mitigating factor against what they see wrong w/ your new 'progressive' view.

they don't see where you are as having 'progressed' ... they see where you are as just the opposite.

[1pheasant1]

Bobbie, take another look at that picture, and for a perfectly valid reason, pluck your eye out.

[linfinster]

Perhaps a law that requires all men to wear blindfolds and use a cane when outside so they don't have to have the burden of looking at women and possible see a curve at all should be considered...

[john92021]

helmet would be safer, could also make them wear a chastity belt.

[maiingan]

We don't need any studies to show straddling a scooter or motorcycle is safer than sidesaddle. Humans have naturally straddled them as well as horses because it's safer and gives better control. We ride dromedary camels sidesaddle because of that darned hump.
If I were a fashion stylist/photographer, I'd have outfits made for female models out of the sturdy canvas Carhartt uses in work clothes. I'm thinking about a flared skirt covering the knees and a roomy work-style jacket. An outfit that tends to conceal the feminine curves. If I were any good, and I'm sure the models would be, we'd be able to take some photos of them riding sidesaddle on the scooter which would reveal their feminine curves enough to drive those prudish, power-hungry male Islamists crazy with desire.
I'm sure many of my fellow readers have already said exactly what I'd say to exprss our disdain for this proposed law and the men who want it.

[rwsmith29456]

That picture with the article is downright pornographic.

[micmac666]

Sinful. I already filed it.

[john92021]

these men need to go live in a cave wearing a hair shirt and flagellate. The world would then be a better place.

[genuinerysk]

Muslim men are weak. If something as small as the supposed curves of a woman as viewed when they are sitting correctly on a bike causes them to violate their religion, then they are weak and not very religious at all. Maybe they should be caned for having those thoughts in the first place. And they say women are the weaker sex. Hah! Look at all they have had to endure and yet they still prevail.

[canameri]

all religious finatics are weak, regardless of the religion

[Sax1031]

go big gov