Erika Anindita Dewi, Jakarta – The government's intention to impose harsh punishments on perpetrators of child sexual abuse, as stipulated in a new regulation in lieu of law (Perppu), has gained wide support from lawmakers from various political parties.
Many of the lawmakers, however, are still considering whether the Perppu will become an independent law or will be deliberated as part of a sexual violence bill at the House of Representatives.
"There are two ways to accommodate the Perppu: inserting it into the sexual violence bill or deliberating it as a separate bill. But it is a technical issue," said Arif Wibowo, a lawmaker from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo signed a Perppu on Wednesday on sexual violence against children.
The punishments include a minimum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment, a maximum sentence of the death penalty, and additional penalties such as the publication of sex crime convicts' identities, chemical castration and the use of electronic tags for pedophiles and child rapists.
The secretary of the Golkar Party's faction in the House, Azis Syamsuddin, praised the Perppu, saying the only thing left was law enforcement.
He preferred including the Perppu in the bill being debated by lawmakers. "We will include the Perppu in the sexual violence bill because the Perppu is not comprehensive," he said, adding that his party would carry out a thorough study over three months to ascertain whether castration or other punishments would give a deterrent effect.
Chairman of the Gerindra faction Ahmad Muzani said his party supported the maximum sentences stipulated in the Perppu, but said lawmakers needed to look into whether the Perppu had a long-term perspective in fighting the sexual abuse of children.
"We need to create a long-term regulation. The Perppu was published because of the urgency and usually has only a short-term orientation," Muzani said.
Another Gerindra lawmaker, Muhammad Syafi'i, however, opposed the chemical castration, saying such crimes could be also perpetrated with other body parts, not only the genitals. "I don't really support the castration; the perpetrators should get the death sentence instead," Syafi'i said.
Echoing Syafi'i's comments, Democratic Party deputy chairman Sjarifuddin Hasan said the government must provide a deterrent effect. Therefore, he agreed with the death penalty for adult perpetrators.
Meanwhile, a lawmaker from the National Awakening Party (PKB) appreciated the government's seriousness in providing a legal basis to take harsh action against sexual criminals, but added that the government should also get serious in preventing the spread of pornography.
"We fully support the government's move, but it must be followed by the government's strict actions to close sites that contain porn," PKB faction chairman Jazilul Fawaid said, adding that alcohol consumption and watching pornography could lead to sex crimes.
The Hanura Party considered the Perppu to be a legal basis to "save our next generation". The party believed the Perppu's issuance was of urgent importance, and it supported the castration punishment, Hanura deputy chairman Nurdin Tampubolon said. (bbn)