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House open to input on porn bill
As debate rages over a proposed bill to ban pornography in the country, House of Representatives legislators said Wednesday they were open to public opinions on the draft
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As debate rages over a proposed bill to ban pornography in the country, House of Representatives legislators said Wednesday they were open to public opinions on the draft.
A member of the House's special committee deliberating the bill, Azlaini Agus, said although the working group debating the formulation of the bill would endorse the final draft on Thursday, the schedule set for a House plenary session to pass the bill remained tentative.
"We have set a schedule for the deliberation of the bill, but it's subject to change," Azlaini of the National Mandate Party (PAN) told a public discussion.
The working group will submit the draft to the House consultative body to undergo further debate before the final draft is brought to a plenary session.
Pros and cons of the long-debated bill continued to emerge during the discussion hosted by the Office of State Minister for Women Empowerment.
Another member of the working group, Irsyad Sudiro of Golkar Party, said the bill would be very different from the original version, including changes made to more than half of the seven chapters and 44 articles of the original draft law.
"There will be no more violations of human rights, discrimination and criminalization against women," he said, rebuffing all the criticisms against the bill.
The Golkar Party is the largest faction at the House, occupying 125 of the total 550 seats. If PAN, which has 53 seats, is unanimous in supporting the bill, it is very likely the controversial bill will be passed.
Also in support of the bill are three Muslim-based factions; the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP) and the Star Reform Party (PBR), which control a combined 117 seats.
Critics remain suspicious the parties are supporting the bill only to woo public support ahead of the 2009 polls.
Only the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) have openly challenged the bill. They also said they had exited the deliberation.
However, Azlaini denied the PDS had withdrawn. "In fact, it is only the PDI-P that opposes the bill. The rest, including the PDS, are still involved in the deliberation," she said.
State Minister for Women's Empowerment, Meuthia Farida Hatta, is a surprise defender of the bill. She said the country was in dire need of a law that could save the country's society from the negative impacts of uncensored pornography.
"We are trying to protect our future generations, rather than cause national disintegration," said Meutia, who chairs the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI).
Azlaini said the House would welcome public aspirations concerning the bill. "Anyone who wants to provide input on the bill can write to us. We will accommodate them," she said.
