Politician Slams Anti-Sexual Violence Regulation for Being 'Too Liberal'

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - House of Representatives (DPR) legislator from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Ledia Hanifa Amaliah on Thursday urged the Minister of Education to revoke the regulation overseeing sexual violence at university level. She insists that the ministry has no legal standing for the law’s existence.

“The Minister’s Regulation is mistaken as the Law that acts as its legal standing is yet to exist,” said Ledia in her written statement on November 4. 

She explained that the Education Minister’s Regulation No.30/2021 must refer to Law No.12/2011 regarding the formation of a law, which states that a Minister’s Regulation can have a binding legal strength only when there is an order from a higher statutory regulation.

The second reason she criticized the Education Minister’s Regulation is by arguing that its contents are far from the Pancasila ideology and tends to side with liberal values. The reason she thinks so is the lack of religious norm in overseeing the prevention and handling of sexual violence. 

The PKS legislator argues that too many liberal values were adopted in the regulation that it biases the definition of sexual abuse. She highlighted the use of consent and how it should not be used to replace religious norms. 

“This is certainly a dangerous regulatory reference. Coupled with the exclusion of religious norms, our young generation seems to be led to a context that with the approval of a sexual-related behavior can be justified. This is clearly dangerous,” said Amaliah. 

Read: Govt Sets Rules Overseeing Sexual Violence on Campus Grounds

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