Zunita Putri, Jakarta – Transwoman and celebrity Isa Zega has caused a stir on social media after she performed the Umrah pilgrimage (a smaller version of the haj pilgrimage to Mecca) wearing a sharia hijab. Mufti Anam, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR) from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction says that Zega's actions are a form of blasphemy.
Aman claims that after seeing many reports on social media regarding Isa Zega's Umrah pilgrimage, he considers that Zega has committed blasphemy.
"I am very concerned and alarmed, today I received a lot of DMs (direct messages), links from social media which after I looked at it, there was someone named 'Mami Online' alias Isa Zega alias Sahrul, she is a transgender, transwoman, a waria, who was originally a man, she performed the Umrah pilgrimage wearing a shariah [Islamic] hijab and this is part of blasphemy", said Anam on his Instagram account which Detik.com has been allowed to quote from on Tuesday November 19.
According to the Anam, even though she has changed her form to become a woman, Zega is still a man physically. Therefore, Zega should use male procedures when performing worship.
"Like it is for men under Islamic law, moreover according to the MUI [Indonesian Ulama Council] fatwa [edict], a man, even though their sex has been changed, is still physically a man, and in carrying out the process they must still use the procedures of a man", he said.
Anam alleges that Zega's actions have violated the Criminal Code (KUHP) and she could face a five-year prison sentence.
"But Isa Zega is different, she performed the Umrah using the procession and procedures of a women, this is a part of blasphemy. How is it so, a blasphemer is already regulated under KUHP [Article] Number 156A which is subject to five years in prison", he said.
He also hopes that the police will immediately summon and arrest Zega for allegedly committing blasphemy. He also hopes that incidents such as this will not happen again.
"So our hope is that law enforcement officials, the police, and related parties will immediately arrest this online Mami so that in the future there will be no other online Mami who insult our religion. Remember, that Indonesia is the country with the second largest Muslim population in the world. Our hope is that it will not cause chaos in society, also that it will not set a bad example", he said. (zap/imk)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Anggota DPR Kecam Transgender Isa Zega Berhijab Saat Umrah: Penistaan Agama".]
