Commission III of Parliament to disseminate new Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code to all regional police headquarters after Eid

Jakarta — The Chair of Commission III of the Indonesian Parliament, Habiburokhman, announced plans to conduct a nationwide socialisation of the newly enacted Criminal Code (KUHP) and Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) to every regional police headquarters (Polda) across Indonesia following Eid 2026.

He stated that the implementation of the new criminal legislation requires adjustments, as the previous laws had been applied for 30 years. He expressed his desire for all regional police chiefs to attend the socialisation sessions at each Polda to ensure there are no further miscarriages of justice in law enforcement.

“We will continue to promote socialisation. We have already planned socialisation sessions at all regional police headquarters throughout Indonesia after Eid,” Habiburokhman said at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Monday.

He highlighted a significant new provision in the KUHP, particularly Article 36, which establishes that a person cannot be convicted without an element of intent. He stressed that this provision is especially relevant to cases involving hate speech or defamation.

“It is difficult to interpret speech. What someone says could be evaluated textually as insulting, for example, but their actual intent may have been different,” he explained.

He also emphasised that the new KUHP and KUHAP are rehabilitative, restorative, and substantive in nature. This means that the latest provisions do not focus solely on retributive punishment but can employ alternative approaches to prioritise justice.

According to him, law enforcement officials applying these laws must not only understand the precise wording of the articles but also comprehend the underlying spirit of the legislation.

“Since we are the ones who drafted it, we are working together to ensure its proper application,” he said.