Things are almost always slow in Indonesia, but this law is perhaps one of the fastest to be adopted in the history of Indonesia.
As a typical regional regulation takes about a year to be processed from the moment it is placed on the Regional Legislation Program (Prolegda), it is any wonder regions bother preparing their regulations at all.
Many regions have had drafts for some time, but are waiting for the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to prepare the required guidelines for Regional Disaster Management Agencies (BPBD). Indonesian Society for Disaster Management (MPBI), the umbrella for disaster response organizations, has prepared a good guideline for regions preparing their disaster management regulations, and there has generally been a positive response to it.
Disaster management is perhaps the area of governance in Indonesia in which civil society organizations and government work closest together. The degree of mutual support in regions across the country is remarkable.
There is still a long way to go, of course, but that has less to do with failure to implement the law on disaster management, and more to do with regional government dysfunctioning in general.
OWEN PODDER
Jakarta
Who will the porn bill protect? -- Oct. 13, p. 7
Good article with a very precise point of view. The fact that Indonesian culture is not ready to have such a way in viewing women in the streets simply denounces the concept of women's emancipation.
Woman are seen as objects, and have to be regulated. Just like a piece of chocolate has to be covered with wrapping paper, otherwise is too tempting to eat.
MOHAMMAD ALI
Jakarta
Everything must start from the individual - not others. Besides, how do we know if a person is morally decent from just the clothes they wear?
I mean, seriously. Do we really want to become that shallow -just simply judging everything from the outside? I mean, there are more things than meet the eye.
For example, a head-scarfed girl can easily remove that cover from her head at night and transform into someone else if she wishes. That's her decision and responsibility. How do we know that she's actually not just some "high-class" call-girl masquerading just to keep herself unjudged and unarrested? How can we actually tell?
I'm dead surprised if you're still too dumb to notice that you're simply tainting your own reputation as (so-called) gentlemen? I'm sorry if I'm sounding like a total man-hater here, but I'm just giving you another possible perspective if this bill is forcefully legalized. And I'm also dead sad that some women think it's a perfect solution for their lecherous husbands. Please, no wonder most men still think we're too emotional and incapable of thinking clearly.
Please, do not bring any religion to this matter. Let's not kid ourselves. Let's not play God by pointing our accusing fingers to others and claiming that we're the holiest.
R. ASTARI
Jakarta
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