The Electronic Information and Transaction Law Will Soon Enter The Legislative Process, Mahfud: Inputs From Public Can Be Submitted To The House Of Representatives

Hearing between Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD and his staff and the Civil Society Coalition/ Photo: Public Relations of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said that the revised status of four articles in the Electronic Information and Transaction Law (UU ITE) was completed and will soon enter the legislative process in the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) after the Ministry of Law and Human Rights synchronizes.

In the process, Mahfud explained that the ITE Law Study Team had opened a long discussion room and received input from all elements of society. This was conveyed by him during the hearing of the Civil Society Coalition on Monday, June 14 at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Building.

"From the beginning, the study team was very open with all inputs from the community. We involved various elements of society to provide input to the ITE Law Study Team. Both from academics, legal practitioners, NGOs, victims of the ITE Law, reporters, politicians, individual journalists, and associations, including several who attended this afternoon, also participated in providing input to the study team", said Mahfud as quoted from his written statement, Tuesday, June 15.

The former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) said that although the current draft revision of the ITE Law would be submitted to the DPR RI, the public could still provide input. However, the process was submitted to the legislature because the study team had finished carrying out their duties.

"People's inputs are still open and can be submitted to the DPR", he said.

Mahfud further said that the four articles that will be revised are Articles 27, 28, 29, and 36, plus a new article 45 C. This aims to eliminate multiple interpretations, elastic articles, and criminalization efforts.

"Those three points are the result of the input given by civil society groups during the review process of the planned revision of the ITE Law, which was carried out some time ago", he said.

Meanwhile, regarding the Digital Omnibus Law, said Mahfud, the preparation will be widely opened and included in the long-term plan. This legislation will later regulate consumer data protection, personal data protection, electronic transactions in the form of money, to news transactions.

Meanwhile, at the meeting, the Civil Society Coalition that was present consisted of Erasmus Napitupulu (Institute for Criminal Justice Reform/ICJR), Muhammad Arsyad (Chairman of PAKU ITE), Nurina Savitri (Amnesty International Indonesia), Rizki Yudha (LPH Pers), Nenden Arum ( SAFEnet), and Andi M Rezaldy (Kontras).

Nurina Saviteri from Amnesty International Indonesia said the Civil Society Coalition appreciated this meeting. In addition, he said there were a number of reasons for their arrival to hold hearings, including providing input regarding the revision of the ITE Law.

"Earlier we heard from the Coordinating Minister that until now we are still receiving input from the public, especially since this revised draft, from the review team, it was submitted to the Minister of Law and Human Rights, and we can participate in the process", she said after the hearing.

"Then the issue of digital Omnibuslaw is still at the discourse stage, and we are also expected to provide input", concluded Nurina.