MP Urges State to Prevent Violence from Becoming Normalised in Society

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of the House of Representatives (DPR) Rieke Diah Pitaloka has stated that the state must not allow violence to become a culture in public life. The legislator from Commission XIII, which oversees legal affairs, human rights, immigration, and corrections, highlighted a series of recent violent incidents, including mob justice cases that resulted in fatalities in Tabanan, Bali; Purwakarta, West Java; and Morowali, Central Sulawesi, as well as a clash between residents in the Menteng-Matraman area of Jakarta. “This phenomenon is a serious warning that the state must not allow violence to become a culture in society,” Rieke said in a statement on Tuesday. She emphasised that in a state governed by law, every problem must be resolved through a fair legal mechanism, not through acts of revenge or mob justice. Rieke warned that when the public begins to lose trust in the legal process, the space for violence will widen, ultimately threatening national unity. She called for fair law enforcement, the strengthening of social solidarity, and a state presence that sides with the people, especially amid current economic pressures, rising social vulnerability, global uncertainty, and the need for national stability. She recommended that the state ensure every act of violence, including vigilantism, is processed according to the law, and that law enforcement officers must act swiftly, transparently, and accountably to restore public trust in the rule of law. Furthermore, the government, together with security forces, religious leaders, community figures, and all elements of society, must strengthen tolerance education, build spaces for dialogue, develop peaceful conflict resolution mechanisms, and prevent the spread of provocation and hate speech. Rieke also stressed that the state must provide legal assistance, psychosocial rehabilitation, economic recovery, and security guarantees for victims and their families, with a particular focus on protecting vulnerable communities. As the nation approaches Independence Day, she reminded that independence is only meaningful if every citizen can live safely, receive legal protection, and enjoy justice without fear. “Indonesia must not allow violence to become a part of daily life. National unity, respect for human rights, the supremacy of law, and deliberation must remain the main foundations in resolving every national issue towards a just, safe, and dignified Indonesia,” she concluded.