Liputan6.com, Jakarta - The Presidential Staff Office has assured the public that the new criminal code of Indonesia shall not violate democracy and public safety. The new laws have been subject to negative reception from the international press and United Nations.
The Presidential Staff Office said the enforcement of the laws will be based on the principles of democracy and humanity.
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"So the accusations that these laws are endangering democracy and public safety are not exact," said Mufti Makarim, leading expert at the Presidential Staff Office.
Among the controversial laws are about sex outside marriage, co-habitation, and insulting the president. The new criminal code will be enforced in three years after it was passed earlier this month.
Makarim, who is an expert in security, argued that the previous criminal code was even more threatening for democracy and public safety. The old laws were often used for repression during the Old Order and New Order.
He said that the new criminal code is more appropriate for the current conditions in Indonesia, and the government already listened to the aspirations from people of different backgrounds in formulating the new criminal code.
"I feel that the academic elements which were involved in forming this criminal code have impeccable credibility, therefore the stipulations in the new criminal code contain many perspectives from academicians who principally hold the interest of humanity," explained Mufti.
