Indeed, it is miserable knowing what the government has done in protecting women's dignity! Though there are statements and actions of rejection from various components of society, Indonesian government still allow and even support the beauty pageants as 2015 Putri Indonesia to take place. The government's support can be seen from the contribution of several Ministers of Working Cabinet who are involved in giving speeches to the pageant's participants. However, this pageant does not give any profit for nation's income nor generation quality improvement. This pageant only raises benefit sources for the organizer and sponsors i.e. fashion and cosmetic industries, and it raises media ratings.

Since the beginning of its implementation in Western countries, such pageants are aimed at looking for swimsuit modelling which requires its contestants to be appraised regarding their physical weight and the contestants are exposed as ‘window dressing'. The assessment criteria which cover the concept of 3B (Beauty, Brain and Behaviour) and social roles like being ambassador of Tourism, Culture Ambassador, Anti-Drugs and others are only a decoy to increase the prestige of those pageants. The pageants moreover become a symbol in legalizing the exploitation of women's body. It will be such a shame if Indonesia as a Muslim country also joins in following the primitive culture of western countries which disregards religious norms.

As a sincere contribution to prohibit all those kinds of exploitation and as a serious attempt to bring back women's dignity, Muslimah Hizb ut Tahrir Indonesia states:

1. To reject the Beauty Pageant of 2015 Putri Indonesia and call every element to ban all pageants alike that are a symbol of exploitation of women's figures and declination of women's reputation.

2. To urge the government to ban the pageant from taking place and stop taking benefits from the event by placing the winner as an ambassador of Tourism-Culture and of any kind and to recommend to the government to stop all kinds of women's exploitation.

3. To call on all elements to realize that those pageants are a product of Western culture which aims at spreading moral destruction from their societies to Muslim countries as Indonesia. At the same time, Western countries have systematically attacked the notable Sharia law by considering it as a law which restrains women through the rules of hijab, a law to separate men and women from socializing and others.
Oh women, aggregate your potential to achieve life's honour! Realize that the democracy system and neoliberal government only put women as sources of material profit and sexual objects that are far beyond implementing honour and dignity! Realize that the Islamic system and Islamic Caliphate are the only way to protect morality, create integrity, an honour to behave and to build a generation that has noble pride. Furthermore, the Islamic Caliphate is a system which prevents and bans women's exploitation and being judged from physical criteria. In fact, the Islamic Caliphate requires guarding women's honour, ensuring their prosperity; and also assesses women in accordance to their devotion, ethics and behaviour. It is indeed a true women empowerment. The Prophet (pbuh) said,

«إن لكل دين خُلقًا، وخُلُقُ الإسلام الحياء»

"Surely every religion has a morality, and morality of Islam is modesty." (HR. Ibnu Majah)

Iffah Ainur Rochmah
Spokesperson of Muslimah Hizb ut Tahrir in Indonesia