TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The head of the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), Hasto Wardoyo, said there were some articles in the Family Resilience draft bill that had already been regulated in the fatwas of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

He said among them were Article 26 verse 2, which mentioned that a marriage couple of a husband and a wife had the right to have children by either biological means or via the assistance of reproduction technology by using the results of fertilization of sperm and ovum of the couple, which were planted in the wife’s womb.

“I think this [article] already exists in the MUI [fatwa]. The fatwa is also binding, per se,” he told Tempo at his office in Jakarta, Friday, February 21, 2020.

Hasto, who is also known as an in fitro fertilizaiton (IVF) expert, said doctors in Indonesia would not place sperm or eggs or conduct a surrogation process other than from legally-married couples, as mentioned in Article 32. “In Indonesia, it is forbidden by the MUI,” he said.

The MUI fatwa on IVF or Artificial Insemination stated that an IVF carried out with sperm and ovum or non-legally married couple are against the Islamic law or haram—which is similar to a sexual intercourse out of wedlock and thus viewed as adultery.

Hasto also called on the proposers of the bill to provide deeper accounts on Article 31, which bars the sale of sperm and ovum, voluntary donation, and accepting sperm or ovum donors independently through any foundation for reproductive purposes.

Reporter: Friski Riana | Translator: Galuh Kurnia Ramadhani (Intern Translator)