15 December 2013

Sharia creeping into the police force?

Recently, a new trend has arisen in many provinces: Policewomen donning Islamic headscarves while on duty.

It followed new National Police chief Gen. Sutarman’s announcement that Muslim police officers would be permitted to wear the Islamic garb as pious groups had long demanded, but had previously fallen on his predecessors’ deaf ears.

Politicians and interest groups backing his candidacy showered Sutarman with praise, something he badly needed to lift his posture that suffered from his questionable performance while he served his previous stints as the National Police chief detective and regional police commander. [The Jakarta Post] Read more