Gender, Progressive Islam and Islamism in Indonesia Analysing the Political Attitudes of PKB and PKS
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Gender, Progressive Islam and Islamism in Indonesia Analysing the Political Attitudes of PKB and PKS Nunik Nurjanah A sub-thesis submitted for the degree of Masters of Arts (Asia-Pacific Studies) of the Australian National University, the College of Asia and the Pacific, the School of Culture, History and Language, July 2013 This thesis is my own original work. To the best of my knowledge, it contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference is made in the text. Signed ......... Table of Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... v Abstract .......................................................................................................................... vii Glossary and Abbreviations ........................................................................................ viii Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................. 1 A. Background ..................................................................................................................... 1 B. Aim and Scope of Study.................................................................................................. 3 C. Key Questions .................................................................................................................. 6 D. Research Methodology ................................................................................................... 7 E. Findings and Arguments ................................................................................................ 8 F. Literature Reviews .......................................................................................................... 9 1. Islamist Discourse of Gender and Women............................................................ 9 2. Progressive Muslim Discourse of Women in Indonesia ..................................... 13 3. The Interrelationship between MPs’ Attitude towards Gender Issues and Background ............................................................................................................ 15 G. Thesis Outline ....................................................................................................................17 Chapter II: The Genealogy of PKB and PKS: A Contrast Background ................. 18 A. PKB and the Roots of Cultural Islam ..........................................................................18 1. The Rise of the Cultural Islam Movement ......................................................... 18 1 2. The Emergence of Young Progressive NU ......................................................... 22 B. PKS and the Rise of the Tarbiyah Movement .............................................................26 1. Inspirations and Global Influences .................................................................... 26 2. Seeking a New Islamist Paradigm: Contrasting Attitudes and Practices from NU .......................................................................................................................... 29 C. PKB and PKS MPs’ Background: Education, Organisation and Activism .............33 1. Educational Background .................................................................................... 34 2. Social Activism and Organisations ..................................................................... 36 D. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................40 Chapter III: Questioning Commitment to Gender Equality:PKB and PKS Platforms and Attitudes ................................................................................................ 42 A. Supporting Gender Quota and Raising Gender Awareness: PKB’s Platform .........44 B. Strengthening Family and Improving Public Morality: PKS’ Platform .................48 C. Examining the MPs’ Attitudes on Gender and Women’s Issues ...............................55 1. Gender Roles in the Family ................................................................................ 55 2.Women and Political Participation ...................................................................... 57 3.Polygamy ............................................................................................................. 61 4.Early Marriages ................................................................................................... 65 D. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................66 Chapter IV: Analysing PKB and PKS Attitude on Gender and Women’s Issues:Discussing the Anti-Domestic Violence and the Anti-Pornography Bill ...... 69 A. Anti-Domestic Violence Law .........................................................................................70 2 1. PKB and PKS Stands on the Anti-Domestic Violence Law ............................... 71 2. Ambivalence and Reaching Compromises ........................................................ 73 3. Political Learning and Activism ........................................................................ 76 B. Anti-Pornography Law .................................................................................................78 1. PKB and PKS Attitudes Towards the Bill ......................................................... 79 2. Deliberation Process: Rejections and Compromises ........................................ 80 3. The Changes to the Bill ...................................................................................... 83 C. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................85 Chapter V: Conclusion ................................................................................................. 87 Bibliography .................................................................................................................. 91 3 Acknowledgements I would like to express my very great appreciation to my supervisors, Dr. Greg Fealy and Dr. Sharon Bessell of the College of Asia and the Pacific (CAP), Australian National University (ANU) for their patient guidance and useful critiques of this thesis. In particular, I thank them for going beyond the call of duty in reading my chapter drafts and challenging me to develop my analysis further. Without their enthusiastic encouragement I would have given up a long time ago. I also gratefully acknowledge the support and generosity of Prof. Ken George, Director of the ANU School of Culture, History and Language (CHL), who gave me this valuable opportunity to complete the present study. Particular thanks go to Harriette Wilson of The ANU CHL, who has been very kind in helping me with administrative issues. I also thank the State Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, which facilitated my study in Australia. My gratitude goes to AusAid and the AusAid Liaison Office staff at ANU, for granting me a scholarship and generous assistance during my study in Canberra. I am very much indebted to past students of the Indonesian community and Student Associations in Canberra. Special gratitude goes to Ismatu Ropi’ and his family, for their very great support and kind hospitality. Also thanks to my best friends, Evy Margaretha, Yudhistira “Hian” Ora, Agnes Cynthia, and Ahmad “Mamat” Maulana, for their sincere friendship, and to those whose names are not mentioned here but who supported me and my family during our stay in Canberra. I would also extend my deepest gratitude to my husband, Abdul Hakim, for his ongoing support and encouragement, and to my little angels, Awla Gibran Ibrahim and Fatih v Azka Husein, who always cheer me up during the difficult times of completing this thesis. Finally, I dedicate this thesis to my late parents, who would undoubtedly have been proud that I had the opportunity to pursue postgraduate study abroad. vi Abstract This thesis investigates the attitudes of two of Indonesia’s main Islamic parties, National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), towards gender and women’s issues. There has been an assumption that PKB is more liberal than PKS due to the progressive religious backgrounds of many of its parliamentarians and leaders. While PKB has strong roots in the reform-minded Cultural Islam movement, which tended to support gender equality, PKS has its origins in the Tarbiyah movement, which was heavily influenced by the thinking of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhoodand was socially conservative and Islamist. This study examines whether the contrasting backgrounds of these parties produces markedly different policies and actions on gender and women’s issues. It analyses the two parties’ attitudes during deliberations in parliament on two controversial items of draft legislation: the Anti- Domestic Violence and the Anti-Pornography bill. This thesis argues that despite their differing doctrinal and intellectual origins, PKB and PKS had similar views on these bills. I contend that the interaction with non-Islamists and activists from women’s NGOs enabled PKS to moderate its attitude on gender and women’s issues. PKB supported the Anti-Pornography bill though in some ways, the party failed to serve as a champion of gender equality in parliament, belying its reputation for pro-women’s activism. vii Glossary and Abbreviations Affirmative Action Policies that that take into