Indonesia Passes Law to Stop Criticism of Politicians

 

While many Indonesians watch for possible changes in the nation’s criminal code, Indonesia’s House of Representatives has quietly passed changes to another law.

The legislation is the revised Law on Representative Assemblies, also known as the MD3 law.

Critics say the new measures will limit criticism of Indonesian politicians. They say it also will make lawmakers less likely to take responsibility for their actions.

Under the new rules, representatives in parliament are permitted to bring charges against people who “undermine its honor or that of its members.” In addition, investigations¹ into members of parliament must be approved by the House Ethics² Council.

Critics say a target of the new legislation will likely be Indonesia’s anti-corruption³ commission, or the KPK.

Groups like Indonesia Corruption Watch and the Association for Elections and Democracy have launched an online campaign to fight the measures. The campaign has gathered more than 170,000 signatures. But the amendments⁴ can likely only be overturned by a Constitutional Court ruling.

Eight political parties supported the amendments. One of them is the Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDIP, of Indonesian President Joko Widodo. For months, PDIP members have been calling for MD3 to be passed.

The United Development Party and the National Democratic Party protested the legislation, but they were outvoted.

Andreas Harsono is a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Jakarta. He said, "Indonesia’s parliament is one of the least trusted state institutions. It does not help that they passed such a repressive law. It’s going to create more and more problems in Indonesia.”

Late reaction to the law

Ian Wilson teaches at Murdoch University in Australia. He says debate over the proposed criminal code changes may have helped direct public attention away from the anti-democratic effect of the MD3 amendments.

Indonesian lawmakers are considering a proposal to criminalize sexual acts between homosexuals. The proposed changes also would criminalize sex outside of marriage.

“It’s safe to assume the timing⁵ was at least partially⁶ intentional⁷,” Wilson said. The most divisive parts of the MD3 law are also relatively⁸ well ‘hidden’ within the legislation. “It’s a fairly well practiced stratagem⁹ in Indonesia,” he added.

Last week, the Forum¹⁰ on Law and Constitutional Studies asked the Constitutional Court to consider the MD3 Law. The group said that its requirements, like ordering citizens to appear by force, are not in line with the Indonesian constitution.

Yohanes Sulaiman is a defense¹¹ expert at General Achmad Yani University. He said, “The main way to oppose this measure is through the Constitutional Court. The other way [to resist], which is more difficult, would be for citizens to organize, and keep getting arrested. If they keep resisting, they can see how far Parliament is willing to push enforcement of the law.”

Legal protection from criticism

“Most politicians [around the world] know that they should have thick skin. Not in Jakarta,” said Harsono. In recent years, many Indonesians have faced legal troubles after criticizing politicians on social media.

“The House is just a bunch of people who are really proud and sure of themselves,” said Sulaiman. “Of course, this will be a way for them to attack their critics.”

He added that the House has been concerned over increased pressure from the KPK. Last year, work by the anti-corruption group led to the detention¹² of House Speaker Setya Novanto.

The MD3 law can be seen as an attempt by the House to strengthen its power while public opinion of it is very low.

Wilson said the MD3 law is unusual because it gives legislators powers similar to, or even greater than, that of the court system.

Wilson said the law will increase people’s opinion that parliament is “a self-serving institution.”

He suggested that hurting public trust in the parliamentary system in this way might even increase the appeal of other parties, including Islamists.

Indonesian journalists and the media also have expressed shock over the amendments. These groups say the legislation will reduce press freedoms.

Abdul Manan is head of the Alliance of Independent Journalists. He warned that the law could become a tool to limit freedoms.

He said, "The subjective¹³ nature of the wording means that journalists can easily be ensnared for doing their job, and the law can become another tool with which to suppress…the press."

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

code – n. a system of rules

undermine – v. to weaken or wash away

online – adj. involving a computer or computer system

institution – n. an established organization

stratagem – n. a trick designed to fool the enemy

assume – v. to accept as true

intentional – adj. planned; done by design

bunch – n. group

proud – adj. very pleased with who you are or what you have done

ensnare – v. to catch or take in

1 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

2 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

3 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

4 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

5 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

6 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

7 intentional   

adj.故意的，有意（识）的

参考例句：

• Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。
• His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。

8 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

9 stratagem   

n.诡计，计谋

参考例句：

• Knit the brows and a stratagem comes to mind.眉头一皱，计上心来。
• Trade discounts may be used as a competitive stratagem to secure customer loyalty.商业折扣可以用作维护顾客忠诚度的一种竞争策略。

10 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

11 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

12 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

13 subjective   

a.主观(上)的，个人的

参考例句：

• The way they interpreted their past was highly subjective. 他们解释其过去的方式太主观。
• A literary critic should not be too subjective in his approach. 文学评论家的看法不应太主观。