Female Ojeks Make History In Islamic Organization
For the first time in its history, Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s second-largest Islamic organization, with 28 million members nationwide, has employed female motorcyclists to ferry people around during its 6-day 46th congress, held in Yogyakarta, and which began on July 3. This move brings to nought the recent fatwa issued by East Java clerics prohibiting women from working as ojeks, or using ojeks for transport.
Female Ojeks
The 38 female ojeks, who make up about 5% of the 760 ojeks employed for the congress, are allowed to ferry only female passengers. Haryadi Suyuti, deputy chairman of the congress, explained that the aim was to provide affordable transportation for participants, and “ojeks were the way to go”.
Congress regulations are that passengers are charged Rp 10,000 ($1.1) for a single trip within the city and Rp 20,000 for a trip across district borders. An ojek driver can earn Rp 90,000 during a 6 am to 8 pm shift. For one female ojek, this was more than the Rp 50,000 she made on a good day as a cook.
Fatwa Against Female Ojeks
The move by Muhammadiyah was remarkable not just for being a historical first for the organization but also because it was made despite a fatwa issued in January this year by East Java clerics. That fatwa banned women from working as ojeks or from using ojeks to go to certain places or to go through quiet areas, because it could encourage immoral acts. Other reasons were that riding with an ojek could bring women into contact with male ojek’s skin or expose parts of the body that should not be exposed.
Think About It
Some 15% of Indonesia’s population of 250 million people are women who ride motorcycles. Is the fatwa against their being ojeks reasonable when it offers these women a means of earning a living? If a huge Islamic organization can employ female ojeks (albeit with restriction as to sex of passenger), what does that say about the basis of the fatwa?
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