Stop National Condom Week: Hasyim Muzadi

Purwokerto, Central Java (Antara) - The chief patron of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, K.H. Hasyim Muzadi, has urged the Health Affairs Ministry to stop National Condom Week, which is being observed from December 1 through 7. "I urge the ministry to stop observing National Condom Week because it justifies casual sexual behavior," Hasyim noted here on Tuesday. The well-known NU leader, who spoke to the media after delivering his speech at a discussion on "National Stability before 2014," said that if the government wants to tackle the AIDS/HIV issue, it should attempt other strategies. "I disagree with the free distribution of condoms. Such measures must be stopped immediately," Haysim, who is a former vice presidential candidate, added. National Condom Week is being organized by the Health Affairs Ministry and carried out by the National AIDS Commission (NAC) in cooperation with a leading condom manufacturer. Earlier, the Indonesian Ulema Council's (MUI) chairman, K.H. Amidhan, had also said that his party disagreed with the implementation of National Condom Week. "The MUI does not agree with the implementation of National Condom Week because it only suits the interests of the condom manufacturers and does not promote the use of contraceptives," Amidhan added on Monday. (*)