Asia Expats Forum

Hewer · Centurion Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 545 Location:

The Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has proposed that the railway law require every train provide a women-only car to prevent sexual harassment of female passengers.

A member of the special committee on the railway law from the PKS faction, Abdul Hakim, said Friday that the measure was needed because of the "inhumane conditions" of most train cars, especially in the greater Jakarta area. "And those who bear the biggest brunt are pregnant, elderly or working women who use the railway service," Abdul told The Jakarta Post. He said sexual harassment was a pervasive problem on trains. "Women should be respected and Islam places women in a high position," he said, adding that the party's sole intention with the proposal was to protect female passengers from harassment.

Most electric trains operating in Jakarta already have designated women-only cars, but enforcement of the regulation is nonexistent due to the huge number of passengers and shortages of cars. "That is why we want to include a special provision on cars for women, so that it will be mandatory and operators that violate it will be punished," Abdul said.

Political factions are currently drawing up a list of provisions for consideration in the bill. A transportation expert was skeptical about the proposal's feasibility, especially on overcrowded trains. "Such a policy would be best applied outside of rush hours when trains are not being used at full capacity," the chairman of the City Transportation Council, Soetanto Soehodo, told the Post.

He said the policy of separating female passengers had not been effective in halting sexual crimes when it was tried out in some countries. "Protection of female passengers could in fact be done by putting more security guards onboard, and applying severe punishment against those who commit sexual harassment," he said.

SOURCE: The Jakarta Post (July 15th, 2006)
_________________
Wer tanzen will, muss die Musik bezahlen

Hewer · Centurion Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 545 Location:

Any Indonesian expat lurkers out there?

How is this new idea being received? We have had women-only trains in Osaka for three years now and it is widely accepted (except by the perverts, which unfortunately are a large minority). The only trouble is during rush hour when the women's carriage is half-empty and the co-ed carriages are filled to the brim (women included).

walk

_________________
Wer tanzen will, muss die Musik bezahlen

Mike · Site Admin Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 4512 Location:

What does that tell you about Indonesian muslim men??
_________________
Asia Expats Forum
Expat Friends Dating