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Jokowi bows to public pressure, calls for delay in passing Criminal Code bill into law
The House initially rushed the deliberation and planned to pass it into law before its term ended this month.
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Hundreds of university students protest in front of the House of Representatives complex in Central Jakarta on Thursday, criticizing the amendment of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law, the Criminal Code Law draft (RKUHP) and the sexual violence bill (RUU KUHP). (JP/Ghina Ghaliya)
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owing to public pressures rejecting the controversial revisions of the Criminal Code, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Friday called on the House of Representatives to hold off the bill deliberation, citing public concerns over some problematic articles in the bill.
The House initially rushed the deliberation and planned to pass it into law before its term ended this month. Following the President’s call, however, the lawmakers seem to be holding off the deliberation.
Jokowi’s decision was likely driven by massive criticisms and protests from numerous scholars and civil society organizations as well as from students, who staged rallies in front of the House on Thursday and Friday.
In a statement on Friday, Jokowi said he had continuously looked into and listened to the concerns of the public who had expressed their objections to some articles in the bill and that he agreed the proposed revisions needed to be “thoroughly reviewed.”
“I have ordered the Law and Human Rights Ministry to convey [my] stance to the House, that the passing of the Criminal Code bill into law should be postponed and that the bill should not be passed during the current sitting period," Jokowi said.
“I hope the House is on the same page about this matter so that the deliberation of the Criminal Code bill can be continued [by lawmakers] in the next period."
The draft revisions aim to amend the existing Criminal Code, which was first introduced during Dutch colonial rule.
