Bogor, NU Online
There is no reason to reject pornography law, which was newly endorsed by the House of Representatives (DPR) as there have been many victims especially women and children caused by the pornographic impact, a minister said.
Women`s Empowerment Minister Meutia Hatta made the remarks after closing the national coordination meeting on children`s prosperity and protection here on Thursday.<>
"This law is made to protect Indonesian people from pornography impact. So, there is no reason to reject it. I don`t know their (those who oppose) reasons to reject the law because the existing cases are enough to trigger the making of law," she said, as quoted by Antara news agency.
Meutia made the statement in responding rejection coming from people in Bali and North Sulawesi provinces on the endorsement of pornographic law as they believe that the law can become a threat to the unitary state of Indonesia (NKRI) concept.
The minister said the law will not cause disintegration, does not bring about losses to the society and respect unity in diversity.
Earlier in Jakarta, a spokesman of the United Development Party Faction (F-PPP) in the House of Representatives (DPR), Zainut Tauhid Sa`adi before passing the pornography bill into law said the bill was not made for a certain group or religious interest but it was entirely for the national interest and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
The pornography bill will even speed up national solidarity in waging war against pornography and moral degradation in the country, he said, adding that the matter of pornography should not be related to the preservation of national arts and culture.
Meanwhile, a spokesman of National Mandate Party (PAN) faction, Azzaini Agus, no article or item in the bill opens to way to national disintegration.
After years of controversy, the House of Representatives had finally agreed to pass the bill into law.
As reported by The Jakarta Post, the House of Representatives on Thursday passed the contentious anti-pornography bill, defying months of protest from artists, pluralists and human rights groups.
Two of 10 factions in the House, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), boycotted a plenary session to endorse the modified bill that criminalizes all works and acts deemed obscene and capable of breaching public morality.
The passage of the bill was quickly slammed by human rights and pluralist organizations, as well as several provinces opposed to it.
They claim the law threatens national unity, discriminates against minority groups and women, and harms pluralism and diversity in the country.
Just minutes after the plenary session opened, PDI-P and PDS legislators interrupted the forum and subsequently walked out of the House in protest at the bill.
Also boycotting the session were two Balinese legislators from the Golkar Party, Lisnawati Karna and Gede Sumarjaya Linggih. They each interrupted the meeting and walked out of the room while their party read out its approval of the bill.
“We agree we must protect our nation from pornography, but we can’t accept the substance of this bill. Thus we are not responsible for it,” PDI-P faction chairman Tjahjo Kumolo said after leaving the session.
Carol Daniel Kadang of the PDS said the House was in too much of a hurry to pass the bill and that procedurally it should have consulted first with each province rejecting the bill.
Hundreds of spectators, mainly supporters of the bill, gave the session an air of religious fervor. Along with several legislators, they clapped and shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great), each time a legislator voiced support for the passage of the bill.
As House Speaker Agung Laksono banged his gavel to officially pass the bill into law, they clapped and shouted even louder.
“This is what we need to fight pornography. This law will complete our legal system to protect us from pornographic materials,” Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni said.
People’s Consultative Assembly chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid, a member of the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) that championed the bill, said the law would not discriminate against any section of society.
Nor will it spark violence, he added in all sincerity.
The bill’s opponents say its approval smacks of political machinations ahead of the 2009 elections, most likely to boost support among the predominantly Muslim voter base for the parties backing the bill.
“This (bill) only shows that the House and the government have politicized morality and religion and are just using them as a means of retaining power,” National Commission for Women’s Protection chairwoman Kamala Chandrakirana said in a statement.
Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika and North Sulawesi Governor SH Sarundajang, ardent opponents of the bill, vowed to continue opposing the new law.
“We will continue opposing the porn law because this has been our stance from the very beginning,” Pastika told reporters in Denpasar. (dar)
There is no reason to reject pornography law, which was newly endorsed by the House of Representatives (DPR) as there have been many victims especially women and children caused by the pornographic impact, a minister said.
Women`s Empowerment Minister Meutia Hatta made the remarks after closing the national coordination meeting on children`s prosperity and protection here on Thursday.<>
"This law is made to protect Indonesian people from pornography impact. So, there is no reason to reject it. I don`t know their (those who oppose) reasons to reject the law because the existing cases are enough to trigger the making of law," she said, as quoted by Antara news agency.
Meutia made the statement in responding rejection coming from people in Bali and North Sulawesi provinces on the endorsement of pornographic law as they believe that the law can become a threat to the unitary state of Indonesia (NKRI) concept.
The minister said the law will not cause disintegration, does not bring about losses to the society and respect unity in diversity.
Earlier in Jakarta, a spokesman of the United Development Party Faction (F-PPP) in the House of Representatives (DPR), Zainut Tauhid Sa`adi before passing the pornography bill into law said the bill was not made for a certain group or religious interest but it was entirely for the national interest and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
The pornography bill will even speed up national solidarity in waging war against pornography and moral degradation in the country, he said, adding that the matter of pornography should not be related to the preservation of national arts and culture.
Meanwhile, a spokesman of National Mandate Party (PAN) faction, Azzaini Agus, no article or item in the bill opens to way to national disintegration.
After years of controversy, the House of Representatives had finally agreed to pass the bill into law.
As reported by The Jakarta Post, the House of Representatives on Thursday passed the contentious anti-pornography bill, defying months of protest from artists, pluralists and human rights groups.
Two of 10 factions in the House, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), boycotted a plenary session to endorse the modified bill that criminalizes all works and acts deemed obscene and capable of breaching public morality.
The passage of the bill was quickly slammed by human rights and pluralist organizations, as well as several provinces opposed to it.
They claim the law threatens national unity, discriminates against minority groups and women, and harms pluralism and diversity in the country.
Just minutes after the plenary session opened, PDI-P and PDS legislators interrupted the forum and subsequently walked out of the House in protest at the bill.
Also boycotting the session were two Balinese legislators from the Golkar Party, Lisnawati Karna and Gede Sumarjaya Linggih. They each interrupted the meeting and walked out of the room while their party read out its approval of the bill.
“We agree we must protect our nation from pornography, but we can’t accept the substance of this bill. Thus we are not responsible for it,” PDI-P faction chairman Tjahjo Kumolo said after leaving the session.
Carol Daniel Kadang of the PDS said the House was in too much of a hurry to pass the bill and that procedurally it should have consulted first with each province rejecting the bill.
Hundreds of spectators, mainly supporters of the bill, gave the session an air of religious fervor. Along with several legislators, they clapped and shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great), each time a legislator voiced support for the passage of the bill.
As House Speaker Agung Laksono banged his gavel to officially pass the bill into law, they clapped and shouted even louder.
“This is what we need to fight pornography. This law will complete our legal system to protect us from pornographic materials,” Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni said.
People’s Consultative Assembly chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid, a member of the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) that championed the bill, said the law would not discriminate against any section of society.
Nor will it spark violence, he added in all sincerity.
The bill’s opponents say its approval smacks of political machinations ahead of the 2009 elections, most likely to boost support among the predominantly Muslim voter base for the parties backing the bill.
“This (bill) only shows that the House and the government have politicized morality and religion and are just using them as a means of retaining power,” National Commission for Women’s Protection chairwoman Kamala Chandrakirana said in a statement.
Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika and North Sulawesi Governor SH Sarundajang, ardent opponents of the bill, vowed to continue opposing the new law.
“We will continue opposing the porn law because this has been our stance from the very beginning,” Pastika told reporters in Denpasar. (dar)
