Now, if my reading of your letter is correct, you are saying that: the said test will only be applied to a particular student on the ground of the request of the parents of the same?
Why the change?
Is it because after you saw and realized the people’s anger now you are backtracking from your original position?
Assuming that what your saying is true, though I heavily doubt the sincerity and the veracity of your pronouncement, nonetheless, be that as it may, my question is: what is your business to interfere with regard to the issue or question of someone accusing someone of no longer being a virgin?
Don’t you think that that business is lodged to the courts and to the medical profession and not you?
Further, why would you give credence to the accusation of a suspect in a human trafficking case with regard to a young woman’s chastity?
Are you saying or implying to us that the statement of that suspect is more believable and more credible than the denial or statement of a young woman?
Now, assuming that the said student that you highlighted to your letter is indeed, no longer a virgin, what then are you going to do?
Will you deny the said student her inherent and universal right to education?
Will you deprive her in going to school?
If your answers are in the affirmative with regard to all these negative scenarios, then I say that you will surely violate the Constitution of Indonesia and all of those international conventions which Jakarta has agreed upon to observe in good faith!
Do I have to remind you that:
Indonesia, though the world's most populous Muslim country of 240 million, is a secular nation where most of your people practice a moderate, tolerant form of the faith. Further, your country is a good model for unity and diversity and toleration for all faiths, creeds, ethnicity, races, etc.
Hence, in my conclusion, your plan in my view is not only against the very principles wherein Indonesia in part was founded, but also inhumane, barbaric, idiotic and utterly backward!
If there is still some sense of decency and humanity left in you, you should not only backtrack from your initial and original position, the right thing to do is to admit your mistake before the public, the country and the whole world, scrap/drop that stupid plan and apologize to the whole nation for the fiasco that you have spawned!
That is the right thing and you have to do it now!!!
Jose Mario Dolor De Vega
Philosophy lecturer
College of Arts and Letters
Polytechnic University of the Philippines