Penile gourd wearers, affectionate hubbies and tennis fans beware
Penile gourd wearers, affectionate hubbies and tennis fans beware
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A Papuan that travels to Jakarta wearing only his traditional
koteka (penile gourd), or a husband that kisses his wife goodbye
at a bus stop could one day be sent to prison as such actions
would be considered pornography and thus a violation of a
controversial bill proposed by the government.
The works of surrealist sculptors and painters could also fall
under the category of indecency, would thus have to be covered or
destroyed.
Owners of TV stations and print media chief editors could face
a similar fate if they show a bit too much skin in their coverage
of Venus Williams at Wimbledon or run stories deemed to be
communist propaganda.
The emergence of at least 49 contentious articles in the
proposed new Criminal Codes have sparked strong opposition from
local media, intellectuals, non-governmental organizations and
many others, who have been promoting the development of civil
society and democracy in the country.
Stanley Adi Prasetyo, director of the Institute of Social
Studies and Free Flow of Information (ISAI), said during a
seminar on Wednesday that Indonesia would no longer be a fertile
ground for the birth of creative artists, intellectuals and
leaders if the government went ahead with the current version of
the draft law.
"The bill is a real reflection of the government's frustration
over its failure in almost all fields. It has made numerous
strange policies," he said, adding the government has not
achieved significant progress seven years after the downfall of
the former New Order regime.
Ifdal Kasim, coordinator of the Institute for Public Policy
and Advocacy (Elsam), lambasted the bill as it would allow the
government to intervene more deeply into the private lives of
citizens.
Thamrin Amal Tamagola, a sociologist from the University of
Indonesia, called on the public to step up opposition against the
draft law, which favors the state more than its citizens.
"The bill creates a situation where the state, or power
holder, is more powerful than the people who originally own the
power. In the reform era, the government should play a role to
serve (the people) rather than be a ruler of them. It is
extremely strange that the government is trying to adopt such
contentious penal codes," he said.
He added that the drafting of the criminal codes should be
free from the influence of any religious institution to maintain
the state's secular characteristics.
He warned that the criminal codes could be manipulated by
certain hard-line groups to attack all organizations and
communities supporting civil society.
All speakers at the seminar organized by ISAI supported the
suggestion made by Tempo weekly chief editor Bambang Harimurty
for drafting a bill of rights to help strengthen the civil
society as well as to counter the contentious criminal codes.
Political observer Ichlasul Amal and Thamrin said if the
nation had a bill of rights that stipulated citizens' fundamental
individual rights, the current proposed criminal codes would have
to be reviewed and its contents limited to general matters such
as supporting public order.
"The criminal codes should be minimalist, meaning that the law
regulates only general matters like 'the ten commandments' to
ensure public order," said Ichlasul.
Leo Batubara, a member of the National Press Council, said
that the press council had sent a letter to President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono not to submit the bill to the House of
Representatives for endorsement, until it wins approval from all
stake holders in society.