REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA -- Police should not delay the use of hijabs (headscarves) by policewomen only because of budgetary and design constraints, a study center head said.

"Wearing hijabs is an obligation of Muslim women. So, there should be no obstacles for policewomen to wear hijabs," Ane Permatasari, the head of Women Study Center of the Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah University, said on Thursday.

The National Police chief has allowed the use of hijabs for policewomen but its implementation is delayed pending a decision for its uniformity.

Permatasari said that budgetary constraint should not become a reason to delay the use of hijabs by policewomen. If budgetary constrain is taken as a reason, it could take time or even the permit could be forgotten or being lifted later.

"The 2014 budget for government agencies has been issued this month. If the National Police wants to propose a budget for hijabs, it can only include the proposal for the 2015 budget, so it will take a long time before policewomen can wear headscarves," she said.

Besides budgetary problem, the design of the hijab for policewomen has also become a reason for delaying the use of the headscarves.

"It is an exaggeration to delay it for a design reason, questioning the uniformity of colors, models or the number of buttons," she said.

So, she said, the National Police should implement its decision to allow policewomen to wear headscarves because it is part of human rights.

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