Newly crowned Miss Indonesia 2009 (Putri Indonesia) Qory Sandioriva is trying to defuse the tension caused by her remarks during the contest. In the question and answer stage of the contest, she was asked why, as contestant from Aceh, she did not wear a Muslim headscarf (jilbab) whereas previous contestants from Aceh did just that.
That really is a tricky question. It demands a diplomatic answer, one that will earn points with the judges of the Miss Indonesia (Putri Indonesia) 2009 contest, and yet not offend the people of Aceh, the province which she represents.
Now Qory Sandioriva might have been handicapped somewhat, because she was not born in Aceh. In fact, she is not even a resident of Aceh. Eighteen year old Qory Sandioriva is a student at the University of Indonesia, which is near to her birthplace of Jakarta. She is a student of French literature. In fact Qory Sandioriv’s only connection with Aceh is her Acehnese mother. Her father is Sundanese.
So to the best of her ability, she answered: “Hair is beauty, and I am proud of beauty.” Now this answer scored high points with the judges, but it upsets the Muslim clerics in Aceh. Teungku Faisal Ali, secretary general of Daya Ulema Association said: “Sandioriva challenged the qanun (Koran), therefore she could not have carried the title of Miss Aceh. We were very disappointed with her appearance.”
Qory Sandioriva was never elected Miss Aceh. In fact Aceh does not have a process for crowning Miss Aceh. Aceh is the only province in Indonesia where Sharia law applies. It seems that Qori Sandioriva became Miss Aceh because she asked and was granted permission from the Aceh government to compete in the Miss Indonesia contest as their representative.
Did Qory Sandioriva make a mistake by not wearing a headscarf that was traditionally worn by past Miss Aceh title holders? Evidently she did not, for she claimed that the Aceh governor had personally approved of her appearing without a headscarf.
So what does she think about the uproar following her answer that got her the Miss Indonesia (Putri Indonesia) 2009 title? She played down her answer by saying that was a “misunderstanding”. She said: “Perhaps it was a mistake to make such a statement”, and then she added a rejoiner, “but honestly I have never worn a jilbab (headscarf) all my life.”
But was that answer really a “mistake”? If it refers to the uproar from the clerics in Aceh, yes. But otherwise, no. Qory Sandioriva had actually done her homework. And being a past Jakarta champion of pencak silat, Indonesia’s traditional martial art helps.
Qory Sandioriva cited a well known 19th century Acehenese heroine by the name of Cut Nyak Dien. At the time when the Dutch were colonizing Indonesia, Cut Nyak Dien played a prominent role in opposing colonization. The result was that Aceh became the last territory to fall under Dutch rule.
Qory Sandioriva said that Cut Nyak Dien “never wore a jilbab, but she defended Aceh and Islamic values.” Earlier Teungku Faisal Ali said that Qory Sandioriva “did not relect the values and culture of the Acehenese people.”
But Teuku Kemal Fasya from Malikus Shalih University believed that the clerics in Aceh had overreacted. He did not think Qory Sandioriva had made any statement “against the qanun.” According to him, the decision not to wear a headscarf was a personal choice for Qory Sandioriva to make. He said that afterall, “this is a beauty pageant”.
Perhaps the last word belongs to Qory Sandioriva. She said: “I know I’ve set off a controversy, but I’m really proud to be the first Acehnese contestant to win Putri Indonesia.”
Think about it. Did the clerics overreacted, as claimed by Teuku Kemal Fasya? Is Qory Sandioriva right in drawing a parallel with Cut Nyak Dien? Is the decision to wear a headscarf or not a personal one to make? Should Qory Sandioriva be condenmed for not wearing one?
Earlier posts
Sharia Law And Miss Indonesia 2009
Sharia Law In Aceh – Caning & Death
Beauty Pageant – Saudi Style
Recent Comments