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Bali governor pledges to back petition against porn law

Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika has pledged to support the struggle to file a judicial review of the anti-pornography law, following its ratification earlier this week by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Ni Komang Erviani and Indah Setiawati (The Jakarta Post)
Nusa Dua
Fri, December 12, 2008

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Bali governor pledges to back petition against porn law

Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika has pledged to support the struggle to file a judicial review of the anti-pornography law, following its ratification earlier this week by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

He said all sections of Balinese society would unite in supporting the struggle.

"We will sit together to discuss the steps in filing the petition," he said Wednesday on the sidelines of the first Bali Democracy Forum at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Nusa Dua.

The petition was initiated by the Bali People's Component (KRB), which first prepared a draft of the petition after the House of Representatives passed the much-decried bill on Oct. 30.

Pastika reiterated the law did not take into consideration the philosophical and social values of the Balinese and thus could not be adopted on the island.

"The law only fulfills the jurisdictional element. That's why we believe it should be reviewed," he said.

He urged artists in Bali not to worry and to keep practicing their art. He also asked the Balinese not to revert to violent acts in protest at the law.

The first day of the democracy forum saw a group of university students attempt to stage a protest during Yudhoyono's arrival at Udayana University in Jimbaran. However, they were successfully thwarted by the authorities.

Denpasar Police Chief Sr. Comr. Alit Widana said his officers had arrested two of around 15 students before the attempted protest for failing to inform the police about the demonstration.

"They didn't inform us about the protest at all. The correct procedure is to get permission first, right? So now these two are being questioned by South Kuta Police. They won't be detained," he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday afternoon.

Elsewhere, the executive director of the National Integration Movement (NIM), Wayan Sayoga, said he was disappointed with the President's decision to enact the anti-pornography law.

"His action goes against the spirit of the Constitution and our declaration of independence. This law is not beneficial at all, except for leading the way to national disintegration," he said.

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