1963 Subversion Law still needed: Singgih<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Singgih said yesterday the
\ncontroversial 1963 Subversion Law would be needed until Indonesia
\nintroduced a substitute law to deal with political crimes.<\/p>\n
But he agreed the subversion law should be enforced carefully
\nso that it was used only against political crimes that threatened
\nthe state.<\/p>\n
Singgih said he was opposed to any proposals to revoke the law
\nbecause crimes related to state security could be handled through
\nthe Criminal Code.<\/p>\n
\"The criminal code is appropriate to deal with common crimes
\nbut not for political crimes that could undermine the state,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Critics say the law, which carries a maximum penalty of death,
\nis inhumane because it is easy to manipulate and gives the
\ngovernment sole authority to define what constitutes a subversive
\nact.<\/p>\n
The law was first used in the late 1960s against leaders of
\nthe now-banned Indonesian Communist Party for attempting a coup.
\nIt was also used to deal with activists involved in
\nantigovernment demonstrations in the late 1970s.<\/p>\n
It is currently being used to prosecute labor leader Muchtar
\nPakpahan and Democratic People's Party activists on trial for
\nsowing hatred against the government.<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights has also called for
\nthe abolition of the law but the government has failed to respond
\nto its demand.<\/p>\n
The latest debate on the controversial law was triggered last
\nweek when Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung reportedly
\ntold the commission he would agree to its abolition and replace
\nit with an internal security act.<\/p>\n
Military officials said that Indonesia needs an internal
\nsecurity act in anticipation of escalating threats to national
\nstability.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation said Monday that if the
\nsecurity act was aimed at replacing the subversion law it would
\nmerely duplicate the existing law.<\/p>\n
\"The duplication will reduce people's trust in the laws,\" the
\nfoundation said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\"The commander touched on the existence of internal acts in
\nSingapore and Malaysia which give the government wide authority
\nto control their people. The act is criticized by democracy
\ncampaigners in the two countries,\" it continued.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association said the
\nsubversion law was intended to ward off opposition, \"Basically it
\nviolates human rights,\" it said. (05)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/1963-subversion-law-still-needed-singgih-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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