Polygamy is a Complicated Issue in Indonesia

Jakarta l Badilag.net

Recently, Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI) has issued a legal opinion (fatwa) on polygamy matters (19/04/2013). This fatwa is closely related to the jurisdiction of religious courts.

The MUI fatwa consists of five articles. First, it is absolutely unlawful for a man to have more than four wives at the same time.

Second, marriages with four women are regarded valid as long as they are performed in accordance with Sharia law. These marriages comply with legal consequences.

If a man then marries other woman as his fifth wife, this marriage is regarded invalid.

Third, the fifth marriage should be terminated because it contradicts with Sharia law.

Fourth, if a man had married more than four women, he has to divorce the fifth wife and so on and he must repent to God. Besides, he must provide cost for maintenance of women and children.

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Draft of KHAES Has Been Introduced

Pekanbaru l Badilag.net

The Directorate General of Religious Courts introduced the draft of the compilation for sharia economic procedural law in Pekanbaru, May 7 – 9, 2013. The Directorate aimed to collect abundant suggestion from judges.

The Chairman of the Working Team for Religious Civil, Prof. Dr. H. Abdul Manan, S.H., S.Ip., M. Hum said that the Supreme Court has a team for making the draft and it has been initiated since two years ago.

The team was created by a Decree Letter of the Chief Justie No. 151/KMA/SK/VIII/2010 dated August 16, 2010.

“This draft consists of 12 chapters and 268 articles,” Prof Abdul Manan said.

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Religious Court of West Jakarta Launched Digital Archive and Automatic Short Messaging Service

Jakarta | badilag.net

Religious Court of West Jakarta has made some inroads to develop the court management by implementing information technology. On Friday (04/26/2013), they launched digital archive and automatic short messaging service.

The event was attended by the chief of religious chamber, The Hon. DR. H. Andi Syamsu Alam, SH., MH and Director General of Badilag, Drs. H. Purwosusilo, SH., MH, the Chief of High Religious Court of Jakarta, Khalilurrahman, some appeal judges, the chiefs of religious courts in Jakarta and others.

According to the Chief of West Jakarta Religious Court, Drs. H. Buchori Yusuf, SH., MH., the ideas beyond the launching of digital archive and automatic short messaging service were ones to anticipate the lack of room and to reduce the bundles of notice.

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Legal Discussion on Decision Quality Improvement

Jakarta | Badilag.net

The Directorate General of the Religious Courts (Badilag) held a legal discussion, Tuesday (30/04/2013). It was the first discussion which focused on decision of courts. Badilag plans to hold such program three times in this year.

It was attended by around 50 participants involving some chiefs of appeal courts and judges of first instance courts. M. Yahya Harahap, S.H, ex Deputy Chief Justice for Criminal Case, was the speaker on the discussion.

Andi Syamsu Alam, the Chief Chamber of Religious Court stated that the discussion was very interesting. It is urgent that judges improve the quality of their decisions.

He also said that decisions of the Religious Courts are pretty good in comparison with two or three decades.

“We found that not all decisions are bad. But, we realize that some of them must be improved,” he said.

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