The controversy surrounding the hijab-wearing female members of Indonesia’s flag-raising troop, known as Paskibraka, during the Independence Day ceremony in the new capital Nusantara has been addressed by the Presidential Secretariat. The head of the Secretariat clarified that the female members are allowed to wear the hijab during the ceremony, reassuring the public after it was revealed that the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP) had initially ordered the members to remove their hijabs while on duty.
The Pancasila Ideology Development Agency is responsible for preserving Pancasila, the state ideology, and its ideological development and implementation. The decision to restrict hijab use for the Paskibraka members received criticism from the public, especially after all hijab-wearing members did not wear their Islamic garb during their induction ceremony. The Paskibraka is an elite squad of high-school youths selected from across Indonesia, tasked with raising and lowering the national flag during Independence Day ceremonies each year.
Despite the initial order to remove hijabs, the Presidential Secretariat clarified that female members of the Paskibraka who wear the hijab are allowed to continue wearing it while on duty. The Secretariat chief assured that the hijab-wearing members wore their headscarves during the dress rehearsal for the upcoming Independence Day ceremony in Nusantara. The controversy arose due to the discrepancy between past Paskibraka troops who were permitted to wear the hijab on duty and the decision to enforce uniformity in the current group.
The BPIP chair justified the decision to instruct Paskibraka members to remove their hijab based on the need for uniformity, despite acknowledging that past troops were allowed to wear the hijab while on duty. The female Paskibraka members were instructed to only take off their hijabs during the induction and flag-raising ceremonies. However, the Presidential Secretariat was not informed about this decision by BPIP, leading to further confusion and controversy regarding the hijab-wearing issue.
An Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) official expressed disappointment over the initial rule prohibiting female Paskibraka members from wearing the hijab. The deputy chairman of MUI stated that wearing the hijab is an act of worship for Muslim women and that prohibiting it goes against the Constitution of Indonesia and the teachings of Islam. The MUI official emphasized the importance of respecting human rights and religious freedoms, particularly in a diverse country like Indonesia. The controversy surrounding the hijab issue for the Paskibraka members highlights the ongoing debates and challenges surrounding religious freedom and uniformity in the country.
