Ex-legislator quizzed in defamation case against the President<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Police are investigating the alleged defamation of
\nPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla
\non July 18 by representational means.<\/p>\n
The police on Monday questioned several people over the
\nincident in which students at the launch of a book by former
\nmember of the House of Representatives Sri Bintang Pamungkas took
\ndown pictures of Susilo and Kalla, which had been hanging on the
\nwall.<\/p>\n
The book is titled Unveiling the Political Lies of SBY-JK.<\/p>\n
Sri Bintang and his wife Ernalia were questioned for about two
\nhours by police.<\/p>\n
\"The police wanted to know whether I was aware of the incident
\nand whether I could identify the students who removed the
\npictures. I told them (the investigators) that I didn't remember
\nwho did that,\" he said after the questioning finished at about 12
\np.m.<\/p>\n
The book launch was held in a room at Wisma Antara, Central
\nJakarta, where the official pictures of Susilo and Kalla are
\ndisplayed.<\/p>\n
Sri Bintang said he was sure the police would name him a
\nsuspect for insulting the head of state as regulated in Articles
\n134 and 136 of the Criminal Code as well as inciting
\nantigovernment sentiment as in the Code's Article 154.<\/p>\n
\"That's why I told the police that I would use my right not to
\nanswer their questions if they used the articles,\" he added.<\/p>\n
He said the articles were merely the legacy of the Dutch
\ncolonial rule, aimed at quelling Indonesian freedom fighters.<\/p>\n
\"The Netherlands don't even use the articles anymore. (Former
\npresident) Soeharto and his New Order regime used the articles to
\nshut critics up. And if SBY and JK use the articles, then they
\nare merely an extension of the New Order regime,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Over the past six month, six students have been sentenced to
\nbetween five months' and three years' imprisonment for insulting
\nthe head of state.<\/p>\n
On June 10, the Denpasar District Court sentenced Udayana
\nUniversity student I Wayan Suardana alias Gendo to six months'
\nimprisonment for insulting the President during a rally in
\nJanuary against the fuel price increase.<\/p>\n
Critics have called for the revocation of the controversial
\narticles in the Criminal Code, saying they have restricted
\ncriticism and freedom of expression.<\/p>\n
City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said the police could
\nuse any article in the Criminal Code, including articles 134,
\n136, and 154 as long as its application was legitimate.<\/p>\n
\"We are just law enforcers. We will apply the prevailing laws.
\nIf some people think a certain law is outdated then they should
\npropose its revocation to lawmakers,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ex-legislator-quizzed-in-defamation-case-against-the-president-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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