Legislators move to delay passage of education bill<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Twenty-five legislators from various factions in the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) called for a delay on Thursday of the
\nendorsement of the national education bill that combined
\neducational and religious issues.<\/p>\n
The call was made in response to the growing rejection of the
\nbill that has sparked controversy among the public in particular
\nschools and education experts.<\/p>\n
Effendi Choirie of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction
\nsaid he was the 25th legislator to sign the petition that was
\nhanded to him 10 days ago.<\/p>\n
"It's likely that the number of legislators signing the
\npetition will increase," he told the press at his office.<\/p>\n
Choirie disclosed that most of the 25 legislators were from
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and
\nGolkar factions. So far, he is the only legislator from the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) to support the move.<\/p>\n
He said that the endorsement of the controversial bill must be
\ndelayed to avoid religious friction.<\/p>\n
Some legislators admitted that they were aware of the move but
\nhad not been invited to sign the petition.<\/p>\n
Rekso Ageng Herman, Nyoman Gunawan and Firman Jaya Daeli from
\nPDI Perjuangan and Anthonius Rahail from Indonesian Nationhood
\n(KKI) factions said they backed the call for the postponement.<\/p>\n
Legislators and the Ministry of National Education are
\nscheduled to settle some contentious issues on June 9 before the
\nlegislators bring the bill to a plenary meeting the next day for
\nendorsement.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, people staged rallies in several cities both in
\nsupport of and in protest against the controversial bill.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people from the Society that Cares for National
\nEducation (MPPN) demonstrated against the bill outside the House,
\nsaying that the bill contained discriminatory and unfair
\nregulations.<\/p>\n
The Forum of Indonesian Youths for Nationhood (FKPI) stated
\nthat the education bill gave the chance to the government to
\nmeddle in religious affairs despite the fact that it was an
\nindividual right.<\/p>\n
In Surakarta, Central Java, around 10,000 people staged a
\nrally in the city's downtown area, urging the House to cancel the
\nbill endorsement.<\/p>\n
Most of the protesters were students and teachers from
\nProtestant and Catholics schools supported by Muslim and Buddhist
\ngroups.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the protesters demanded the government give
\nfreedom and space to religious-based schools to run their
\ncurriculum as they see fit.<\/p>\n
Coordinator of the protest Rev. Hartono said that the public
\nmay choose not to vote in the elections should the House endorse
\nthe education bill.<\/p>\n
In Sikka regency, a predominately Catholic area, in East Nusa
\nTenggara province, people threatened to secede from the unitary
\nrepublic of Indonesia should the education bill pass into law.<\/p>\n
Around 15,000 protesters rejected the bill and unfurled 112
\nbanners during a rally outside the local legislative council.<\/p>\n
The protesters were welcomed by legislative council speaker
\nOligius Lusi Meak Gudipung and Sikka Regent Alexander Longginus.<\/p>\n
They said that the education bill gave the government the
\nchance to intervene in religion, a domain that was a personal
\nmatter and that it was the right of every citizen to practice his
\nor her own religion.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislators-move-to-delay-passage-of-education-bill-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}