Indonesian Men – No To Polygamy

A new club called the Polygamy Club has just opened for business in Bandung, Indonesia. Described as a branch of Malaysian Global Ikhwan Polygamy Club, the opening ceremony was attended by 150 guests from other regions of Indonesia, including Papua, Jakarta and Tasikmalaya in West Java. 

The Malaysian club is suspected to be a member of the notorious Al-Arqam cult which was banned in 1994 as a deviant group. Al-Arqam was founded by Ashaari Muhamad in 1969, who claimed to be the Iman Mahdi (or the heir to the Prophet Muhammad).

Hatija Aam, one of Ashaari’s wives said: “Polygamy is a most practical approach, an effective cure to a woman’s desire.”

Chodijah Binti Am, chairwoman of Global Ikhwan Polygamy Club said: “Before inaugurating this polygamy club in Bandung, I traveled throughout Indonesia to convey the mission of polygamy.”  She also said that the club in Malaysia has 300 members from various countries, including Indonesia, Australia, Singapore, the Middle East and Thailand.

A group of Indonesian men has now grouped together under a new organization called Men’s Coalition to Reject Polygamy. Wawan Suwandi, a member of this grouping said:  “The practice of polygamy is so patriarchal — there is no gender equality. We want to share this critical awareness with society and ask men to promote this awareness. We want people to know that not all men agree with polygamy.”  

He also said that he did not believe that women who shared their husbands were truly happy, and that men who practiced polygamy were being unfaithful and hurt their wives. “Do you think that the wives of polygamists are all really happy?”

There is also a Facebook site called Club Anti Poligami (which has around 287 members).  Wawan Suwandi said: “We conduct online activity on Facebook but will still meet and talk with people. We urge our member to share their thoughts with friends — that’s a more effective way to spread the message.”

Added Wawan Suwandi: “We know the risks that some people with their religious perspectives might oppose us. In our opinion, polygamy is a form of denigration to men’s dignity, as men are then labeled as treacherous, heartless and unable to manage their lust.”

How did the women take it regarding this anti polygamy group? Estu Rakhmi Fanani, director of the Women’s Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Apik), said: “That’s big support for us, opposing polygamy, to give more perspective to society.” 

Think about it.  Is Hatija Aam right in saying that polygamy is an effective cure to a woman’s desire?  Is Wawan Suwandi right in asking whether wives of polygamists are really happy? And is polygamy a reflection of man’s inability to manage their lust?

Earlier post

Polygamy