Ayomi Amindoni, Jakarta – The government, spurred by a recent sexual abuse case, will submit a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on sexual violence against children that contains harsher punishments for perpetrators to the House of Representatives next week, an official said on Friday.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had urged the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani, Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly and Social Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa to complete the Perppu before Jokowi's visit to Bali on Saturday, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said.
"Because of the urgency of the issue for the public we will give extraordinary attention to creating a deterrent effect against perpetrators. The government is very serious about handling the matter," Pramono told journalists in the State Palace on Friday.
The Perppu will impose a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and additional punishments of chemical castration and chip implants on people convicted of sexual abuse of children.
The government expected the Perppu would be ready to be submitted to the House on May 18 to 20, Pramono said. The President also hoped for the lawmakers would pass the Perppu in addition to a bill on violence against women proposed by the government that was a priority in the House's National Legislation Program (Prolegnas).
The House had declared itself reluctant to deliberate over a bill to prevent such crimes, arguing the lawmakers were still busy with other "urgent bills".
Jokowi ordered on Tuesday that sexual abuse of children must be categorized as an extraordinary crime and extraordinary efforts must be undertaken to prevent it. The concerns were raised because of the rape and murder of a 14-year-old student in Bengkulu in early April. (rin)