Bima DPRD Proposes Bylaw to Prevent Social Ills and LGBT Activities

The Bima City Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) in West Nusa Tenggara is proposing the formation of a regional regulation (Perda) to tackle social ills, including the prevention of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activities. Amir Syarifuddin, Chairman of the DPRD’s Regional Regulation Formation Agency (BAPEMPERDA), stated on Monday that the proposal was driven by strong community pressure. He noted that the council had received input from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the Islamic Community Forum (FUI), as well as informal aspirations from various community elements in Bima regarding social issues and a sharp increase in local HIV cases. BAPEMPERDA has also held discussions with the executive branch, concluding that the city needs a bylaw to address these issues. The proposal is currently in the discussion and perception-alignment phase before being pushed into the regional legislation programme (Prolegda). Amir, who is also the Chairman of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) in Bima, expressed hope that the bylaw could be included in the 2027 Prolegda. He emphasised that the drafting process would involve various community elements, religious and youth leaders, academics, and health practitioners to ensure the regulation is participatory and carefully crafted to avoid conflicts with higher laws and human rights principles. The planned bylaw will not only focus on pre-emptive measures but also on education, prevention campaigns against what he termed ‘rainbow community’ activities, consultation services, and the handling of diseases arising from sexual deviance and other social ills in Bima. Amir stressed that the regulation is intended to protect the environment and children from social deviance within the framework of the state and Pancasila ideology.