TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A number of factions in the House of Representatives (DPR) wanted the bill on sexual violence crime (RUU TPKS) to also regulate adultery and LGBT—which they considered sexual deviations. The majority of them, however, approved the bill as an initiative of the DPR.

The PDI-P faction said it supported this bill. “But we reject sexual violence and deviation,” said Rizki Aprilia from the PDI-P in the DPR plenary meeting today, January 18.

The Gerindra Party also asked this regulation not to tend to protect LGBT and free sex. “There is a phrase in one of the articles which read that law enforcers cannot justify lifedata-style and decency, including the sexual preferences of victims and witnesses,” said the party’s politician Reny Astuti.

These politicians' fears of LGBT and free sex are born from a conservative perspective. The regulation of one's lifedata-style was also regulated in the discussion of the revised bill of the Criminal Code which is also being reviewed.

The United Development Party (PPP) faction also hoped that this bill not be interpreted as a policy that protects perpetrators of free sex and LGBT.

"As long as this bill does not contradict with religious and social norms prevailing in society and does not provide a way for free sex and LGBT people, the PPP faction approves the bill as a DPR’s initiative,” said Illiza Saaduddin Jamal from PPP.

The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) strongly rejected this bill as it does not regulate adultery and LGBT, which have been the main concern of the Muslim conservative party.

“Not because we refuse protection and justice for victims of sexual violence, but this bill has not comprehensively addressed the issue of adultery and sexual deviation,” said the party’s politician Kurniasih Mufidayati.

As PKS was the one who expressed objection, the sexual violence crime bill was finally passed as an initiative bill of the DPR. Thus, the DPR is waiting for the president's letter to appoint a government representative for discussion and submit a list of inventory problems.

Read: PKS Proposes Options to Approve Sexual Violence Bill

INDRI MAULIDAR