Majority support Islamic law

Poll: Majority of Indonesians support establishing Islamic law

The Associated Press ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 06/24/2008 1:27 PM  |  National

A majority of Indonesians questioned in a national survey support establishing Islamic law, but fewer than half want stern measures such as cutting off the hands of thieves or forcing women to wear traditional Islamic dress.

Australian polling agency Roy Morgan Research said Tuesday some 52 percent of Indonesians questioned between July 2007 and March 2008 favored introducing some form of Islamic law, or sharia, in their areas.

There are around 200 million Muslims in Indonesia, the largest single Muslim population in the world.

Sharia, based on the Quran and the life and teachings of the Prophet Mohammed, takes several different forms in Muslim countries.

It is used mostly as a system of family law in countries such as Egypt and Malaysia, while it governs all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia and Iran, which require head-to-toe clothing for women and prescribe chopping off thieves’ hands.

The Indonesia survey did not give participants a definition of sharia, but follow-up questions sought their opinions about practices in conservative Islamic countries in the Middle East.

When asked if women should have to wear a jilbab – a gown covering the entire body save hands and feet – 45 percent of the Indonesians answered “yes,” while 40 percent said they want thieves to have a hand removed as punishment. Just under a quarter said women should stay at home.

While the vast majority of Indonesians practice a moderate Islam, the secular government has come under pressure from an extremist fringe seeking to purify their faith.

Aceh, the province where Islam arrived in Indonesia from Saudi Arabia centuries ago, enjoys semi-autonomy from the central government because of a long-running Islamic insurgency. A version of Islamic law introduced there in 2001 bans gambling, drinking alcohol and makes it compulsory for women to wear head-scarves.

The questions were put to 8,000 people aged 14 or older in dozens of towns and cities across the vast tropical country.

The poll had a margin of error of 1.3 percent or less.(*)

Source:http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/06/24/poll-majority-indonesians-support-establishing-islamic-law.html