MUI Values Not Involving BPIP Policy Bans Paskibraka From Wearing Hijabs

The Central Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) building in Central Jakarta. (ANTARA-Anom P)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) considers the ban on wearing the headscarf for Paskibraka members by the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP) to be an unwise, unfair, and uncivilized policy.

"Why make the rules for removing the headscarf during ceremonies only. Really, these are rules and policies that are not wise, unfair and uncivilized," said MUI Chairman for Da'wah and Ukhuwah Cholil Nafis in his statement in Jakarta, Thursday.

Cholil said that the ban on wearing the headscarf for Paskibraka members actually violated the rules of the constitution and Pancasila. The prohibition on the use of the headscarf in order to raise the uniform values conveyed by BPIP Head Yudian Wahyudi is unacceptable.

"This BPIP does not comply, violates the rules of the constitution and Pancasila," said Cholil.

Cholil said that BPIP had also violated its own rules in prohibiting the use of the headscarf for Paskibraka, namely BPIP RI Regulation Number 3 of 2022 concerning the Implementation of Presidential Regulation Number 51 of 2022 concerning the Program of the Heritage Flag-raising Troops Chapter VII of Clothing Planning and Paskibraka's Attitude.

Cholil explained that the points contained the completeness and attributes of Paskibraka, one of which was the rule of using white ciput for women's members wearing hijabs.

However, he said, this BPIP Regulation was'supposed' by the Decree of the Head of BPIP Number 35 of 2024 concerning Standards of Clothing, Attributes, and Paskibraka's Look.

"That at point 4 it was emphasized that the ciput clothes for the headscarves were removed so that the completeness points and attributes of Paskibraka were only 5 points," he said.

"It is of no value and is not religious sensitive. In the statement of the head of BPIP, it is stated that the release of the headscarf is only when flying the flag," Cholil added.

According to him, the statement made by Yudian Wahyudi was very painful because he had played with religious teachings.

In addition, this statement is also not for diversity, but is a form of coercion for uniformity.

Previously, the Head of BPIP Yudian Wahyudi explained that the release of the hijab of a number of members of the Heritage Flag Raising Troop (Paskibraka) 2024 was aimed at lifting the values of uniformity in raising the flag.

"Because from the start Paskibraka was a uniform," he said.

Yudi explained that the uniforming of clothing departed from the spirit of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika which was initiated by the Father of the Nation, namely Ir. Soekarno.

But not long ago, the Palace immediately responded and said that members of the women's Paskibraka were allowed to wear the hijab.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat (Kasetpres) Heru Budi Hartono said the women's Paskibraka continued to wear the headscarf while on duty at the commemoration ceremony of the 79th Anniversary in the capital city of Nusantara (IKN), East Kalimantan on August 17, 2024.

"We ask all younger women who do wear the headscarf, continue to use it," said Heru.