Anita Rachman – Aisyiyah, the women's wing of Muhammadiyah, the country's second-largest Islamic organization, has backed a controversial government plan to restrict access to pornographic Web sites.

Aisyiyah chairwoman Siti Noordjanah Djohantini said on Thursday that discussions by the women's group during Muhammadiyah's six-day national caucus in Yogyakarta had concluded with recommendations on several issues, including faith, education, health care and media and communications.

"We recommended that the Communication and Information Technology Ministry continue to take firm steps toward blocking Web sites of questionable moral or religious value," she said, stressing the call was not a reaction to the recent celebrity sex video scandal.

Siti said Aisyiyah was concerned about children gaining access to such sites, and called for a dialogue with Tifatul Sembiring, the communications minister, to discuss implementing Web filters.

The ministry previously proposed a bill to monitor Internet content, but scrapped it in February following an outcry from media organizations, Internet service providers and free speech advocates. However, it has since revived it in the wake of the sex tape scandal.

Siti said she was aware of the controversy surrounding the bill and said Aisyiyah would only support it if it provided guarantees for press freedoms.

Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin previously told the Jakarta Globe that families, communities and schools should play a more active role, saying there should be a "cultural movement" through education to shield young people from pornography. Siti said Aisyiyah had for several years carried out an education and literacy campaign to better prepare parents to deal with new media.

"We train and guide them on how to accompany their children while watching TV, for instance, in identifying what kinds of shows are suitable for younger viewers," Siti said.