Soeryo Winoto, Jakarta – "He who knows not that he knows not is a fool, shun him!" That's the old saying for ignorant people who are not aware of their ignorance, but instead believe they are smart.

The House of Representatives might want to consider this saying as a House special committee deliberates the controversial pornography bill. Echoes of what the lawmakers believe is an effort to save the nation from moral catastrophe have also been heard at National Police Headquarters. Police have been deployed to conduct street raids against the sellers of "pornographic" magazines, VCDs and DVDs.

It is obvious the legislature's discussions of the bill have not been well thought out. It all began with a certain group of emotional and interested people, who have yet to be able to define what pornography actually is.

The articles on pornography in the Criminal Code have yet to be properly enforced. The Criminal Code is actually strong enough to curb the spread of obscenity among the public. In 1984, several photo models got four months in jail each for posing in an erotic calendar, while the photographer got six months in jail for violating Article 282 of the Criminal Code.

In 2001, model Sophia Latjuba was questioned at National Police Headquarters after pictures of her were published that the police considered "seductive". Latjuba was released without further legal action being taken, while the editor of the local magazine which ran the pictures was left untouched.

Now, actor Anjasmara has been named a suspect for posing in what the police call improper photos, which were featured at an art exhibition in Jakarta last September. Those responsible for the photos claim the pictures of Anjasmara and female model Isabel Yahya are works of art, not pornography, while law enforcers seem convinced Anjasmara violated the laws on pornography.

All of this indicates the Criminal Code is forceful enough to deal with pornography, the definition of which remains absurd.

Then why is the House determined to pass a new law on pornography? Amid the absurdity and uncertainty over the definition of pornography, several non-governmental organizations dealing with women's affairs have staged protests against the deliberation of the bill on pornography.

The groups have criticized the House for wasting money and energy discussing the bill, which they claim ignores women's sexual rights. The draft bill explains that what is meant by "sensual" parts of the body includes women's genitals, thighs, hips, buttocks, navels and breasts.

The bill focuses on the female body, meaning that a woman's body is misinterpreted as something that disturbs morality. It is unclear if the commission dealing with the bill is dominated by men who are easily lured by the beauty of women.

The women's groups also said the House was turning a blind eye to the reality of poverty, which – to some extent – has forced women into prostitution and the porn industry.

The fact that the draft bill contains exceptions to what the House describes as pornography means the pornography law will be ambiguous and that its enforcement will be preposterous. There will be debates over what law enforcers deem pornographic. Some ethnic groups also worry that what they consider art and part of their tradition will be condemned by the authorities as indecent.

The Balinese have reportedly protested the pornography bill because it is feared the law will affect tourism. Kuta Beach in Bali is well-known for its topless foreign sunbathers.

While – honestly – nobody in Indonesia is able to precisely define what the House and law enforcers mean by pornography, there is a lot of speculation as to why the House and the police are so insistent on the need for a pornography law when the Criminal Code would seem sufficient.

First, for certain idealistic individuals and groups, efforts to get the pornography bill through the House is probably motivated by larger political interests camouflaged as religious concern.

Second, pornography is the safest evil for people to condemn. Corruption is more damaging than what many Indonesians are defining as pornography. And corruption is present at all levels of our society, involving people from all educational and religious backgrounds.

[The author is a staff writer at The Jakarta Post.]