Durable law

Amid the students' demands for total reforms -- political, economic, legal and moral -- Minister of Justice Muladi drew more attention with his statement that the government intends to revoke the Law No.11/PNPS1963, commonly known as the Subversion Law. He deserves praises from us all.

This law has a unique history. Established by the Old Order government, it is designed to overcome any disturbances to the (independence) revolution. Many prodemocracy figures and government critics fell victims and were jailed, with or without due process. This law was employed to silence the "enemies of revolution".

During the transition period from the Old Order to the New Order and years later in the early days of the New Order government, this law was strongly condemned. The extraordinary General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly in 1967, which removed then President Sukarno, recommended that this elastic law be revoked soon.

I don't know why, but the New Order pledged to genuinely and consistently implement the Constitution and Pancasila, even preserving and maintaining it until the present day. So it's not strange if many pro-democracy and students activists fell victim, too, and were sent to prison under the same law.

It is ironic that the Old Order who established the law in 1963 could only employ it for three years, while the New Order who initially condemned the law have employed it for more than 30 years.

DJON W PRANOTO

Sukabumi, West Java