Mahfud MD: We Will Kill Ourselves If We Revoke The ITE Law!

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD (Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD emphasized that the government will not revoke the Information and Electronic Transactions Law (UU ITE).

He said the government chose to carry out a limited revision of the law because repealing it would be tantamount to suicide.

This decision was taken after the government formed a team to carry out a study of the ITE Law in accordance with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) orders.

"The ITE Law will not be revoked. It would be suicidal if we revoke the ITE Law. This conclusion was reached after we conducted FGDs with no less than 50 academics, legal practitioners, NGOs, victims of the ITE Law, reporters of the ITE Law, politicians, journalists, both individuals and organizations. ," said Mahfud in a press conference broadcast on the Kemenkopolhukam YouTube, Friday, June 11.

Furthermore, Mahfud said the legislation that was made since 2008 is important in order to maintain security, sovereignty, and the integrity of the nation. Moreover, since then, there have been many dangerous activities through digital and electronic platforms.

Although not repealing this law, there are two products to support its implementation in order to prevent the rubber article.

The first is a joint decree which will later be issued and signed by the Minister of Communication and Information Johnny G Plate, Attorney General ST Burhanuddin, and National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo.

The letter contains implementation guidelines and criteria so that the ITE Law can apply equally to everyone.

"The second revision will be limited in terms of semantics from an editorial point of view but substantive in its descriptions," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

Previously reported, Mahfud stated that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had approved and gave directions to revise a number of articles in the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (UU ITE).

"We have just reported to the president and have agreed to do it (revision, ed)," Mahfud said in a press conference broadcast on the YouTube account of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Tuesday, June 8.

The former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) explained that there are four articles and one other article that will be revised in relation to changes to the ITE Law. The four articles are articles 26, 27, 28 and 36. In addition, there is article 45c which also needs to be revised.

Furthermore, this revised draft will be carried out by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) and will soon be submitted to the Indonesian House of Representatives.