So That The Police Are Not Involved, Gerindra Legislators Propose That The Article On Insulting The President Be Transferred To The Civil Sphere

Member of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives and politician Gerindra Habiburrokhman (Photo: Instagram @habiburokhmanjkttimur)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Habiburrokhman, proposed that the article on insulting the President and the House of Representatives (DPR) in the Draft Criminal Code (RUU KUHP) be transferred to the Civil Code (KUH Perdata).

"Article 218 of the Criminal Code Bill, I think this should be transferred to the civil domain only. So the settlement is civil so that it does not involve the police and the prosecutor's office who are the executive family," said Habiburrokhman at the DPR Building, Wednesday, June 9.

So far, the Gerindra politician continued, he is still in the realm of criminal accusations that this article is used to fight or kill people who are opposed to power.

"This will continue to appear objective no matter what the judicial process is, because the police and the prosecutor's office are included in the executive family," explained Habiburrokhman.

Therefore, he is still asking the Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly how to follow up on this issue. Moreover, he has claimed to seek public input by visiting 11 cities in Indonesia.

"So, is there any input regarding the technical carry-over? What about the carry-over? If you follow up on the second level, it's useless traveling around Indonesia. There are 11 cities to receive input," said Habiburrokhman.

Previously, the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) rejected the inclusion of the offense of insulting the President and the House of Representatives (DPR) in the Draft Criminal Code Bill (RUU KUHP).

According to PSI DPP Chair Tsamara Amany, this article has the potential to become a rubber article, which can hinder healthy public discourse.

"The article on insulting the President and the DPR in the Criminal Code Bill violates the essence of democracy, namely freedom of opinion," said Tsamara in a statement, Wednesday, June 9.