大象传媒

Saying no to dating is part of a growing ultraconservative social movement in Indonesia being spread through Instagram and WhatsApp. 鈥淲hen I look at couples, I see my old self, how I used to be affectionate in public, holding hands, hugging,鈥� says 23-year-old Yati, 鈥渁nd now I think that鈥檚 disgusting.鈥� When Yati broke up with her ex, she didn鈥檛 just swear off dating; she joined Indonesia鈥檚 anti-dating movement - Indonesia Without Dating. Its leaders say dating is expensive, gets in the way of study, and - most importantly - is against religious teaching. For Assignment, Simon Maybin discovers it is part of a wider youth-led surge in conservative Islam in the world鈥檚 most populous Muslim-majority country. Opponents see the phenomenon as a backwards step for women and a threat to Indonesia鈥檚 religious pluralism.

Presenter: Simon Maybin
Producer: Josephine Casserly
Editor: Bridget Harney
Music at the end of the programme was Tubuhku Otoritasku by Tika and The Dissidents.
(Image: Yati at an 鈥淚ndonesia Without Dating鈥� demo. Copyright: Simon Maybin/大象传媒)