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Majority of House parties support making adultery, cohabitation illegal
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All set – House of Representatives members get prepared to attend a plenary meeting to resume the second sitting session for 2016-2017 at the House complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Nov.16. (Antara/Reno Esnir)
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majority of political parties in the House of Representatives have agreed to support state regulation of adultery and cohabitation by, among others things, stipulating sanctions against such practices in the draft amendment of the Criminal Code (KUHP).
To prevent the criminalization of individuals for committing adultery or cohabitation, lawmakers proposed the compiling of formal complaint procedures any groups or individuals would be required to fulfil in submitting reports against perpetrators of the crimes to law enforcement institutions.
“This is to avoid arbitrariness in society,” lawmaker Arsul Sani, a member of a working group tasked with deliberating the KUHP amendment, said in a meeting on Wednesday.
“Therefore, anyone involved in cruel deeds against individuals suspected of having committed adultery or cohabitation will also be punished,” the United Development Party (PPP) politician added.
According to the current draft amendment, family members and people from a community group where adultery and cohabitation have allegedly taken place will have the authority to report individuals committing those practices to law enforcers.
The PPP is one of seven parties that have insisted on the inclusion of provisions against adultery and cohabitation in the draft amendment that is being deliberated. The six others are the Gerindra Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the NasDem Party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Democratic Party.
Meanwhile, the remaining three parties, namely the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Golkar Party and the Hanura Party, have opposed the stipulation of adultery- and cohabitation-related regulations in the draft amendment.
“Local communities in several parts of our country still adopt cultural practices and values, which allow such practices. We must take into consideration such socio-cultural aspects,” said PDI-P lawmaker Ihsan Sulis. (ebf)
