Aceh – Units from the Aceh Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) and the Wilayatul Hisbah Islamic police (WH) conducted checks on female drivers wearing tight clothing and men wearing short trousers.
The checks netted scores of violators with one of the women wearing a flannel shirt and long trousers.
The Islamic law checks were conducted on Jl Teuku Nyak Arif in the Lamnyong area of Banda Aceh on Thursday February 20. This is one of the areas where it is obligatory to wear clothing which adheres to Islamic regulations.
"The checks were related to clothing which doesn't adhere to Islamic law, even though we have often socialised this, but there are still many violators", said Satpol PP and WH Aceh Islamic Law Operational Section Head Elhamid following Thursday's checks.
During the clothing checks, 24 violators were found including 13 women wearing tight clothing and 11 men wearing short trousers above the knees.
Elhamid said that they conduct checks two times a week and every check nets people violating Islamic clothing requirements.
He said that the violators were not subject to sanctions and were only given guidance and advised to wear clothing covering their aurat or parts of the body that should not be seen in public.
The clothing checks were held based on qanun (bylaw) Number 11/2002 on Islamic Law on beliefs, worship and religious obligation.
In the qanun's elucidation explains that clothing which is in accordance with Islamic law must cover the aurat, not be thin and must be concealing so that it does not reveal the curves of the body.
Elhamid said that they have also appealed to visitors and tourists visiting Aceh to conform to the rules on Islamic law which are in force.
During the check, the religious police also found violators from non-Muslim groups wearing short trousers above the knee.
"Earlier there were some. We only advised them not to wear clothing like that again, or at least not wear short trousers if they leave the home", he said. (dra/wis)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Razia Syariat Aceh Jaring Wanita Pakai Flanel-Celana Panjang".]