How to maintain a balance between democratization and Islamic conservative forces Indonesia’s “diversity” in trouble | Series “Asia Watch” Daisuke Sato

Asia TravelerDecember 19, 2022

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In Indonesia, protests and demonstrations against the revision of the criminal law have continued one after another.
Photo by Eko Siswono Toyudho/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

In early December, Indonesia’s parliament passed a bill to amend the penal code, including tougher penalties for premarital sex. In addition, “insulting the president” is content that may violate basic rights such as freedom of thought, and protests and demonstrations are taking place in the country.

Behind the revision is the existence of “Islamic conservative forces” trying to drive away Western values. Between this conservative force and democratization, Indonesia is at a crossroads.

Indonesia is a large country with a population of about 270 million, about 90% of whom are Muslims, making it the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. However, Islam is by no means the state religion.

The founding principle clearly stipulates “belief in one god” and stipulates that the country must believe in religions officially recognized by the country, including Hinduism. “Pluralistic unity” that accommodates different religions, nationalities and cultures has been Indonesia’s national policy since independence.

However, these values are gradually changing with the growing influence of Islamic conservatives. The Penal Code Amendment Bill passed by the Indonesian Parliament on December 6 is also an event. It includes a ban on cohabitation among people who are not legally married, and tougher penalties for premarital sex. There are also concerns about its impact.

Bali has long been a popular destination for couples, but…
Photo by Agung Parameswara/Getty Images

According to the revised criminal law, if you live together without a legal marriage, you can be jailed for up to six months. Penalties for extramarital sex were increased from a maximum of nine months to 12 months’ imprisonment. Even more notably, in addition to these sexual provisions is a new contempt of the president charge that allows for a sentence of up to three years in prison for insulting the dignity of the president and vice president.

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Daisuke Sato Kyodo News editorial board member and editorial writer. Born in Hokkaido in 1972. Joined Mainichi Shimbun after graduating from the Faculty of Law, Meiji Gakuin University. Joined Kyodo in 2002 after working in the Nagano branch and the social department. In 2006, he was assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Information. Reporter based in Seoul from March 2009 to the end of 2011. From September 2016 to May 2020, as a reporter based in New Delhi, India, he published a series of articles on the Indian economy that the Japanese do not know. (Nobumasa Kadokawa), “Korean Audition Society” (Shinchosha), “People Facing the Death Penalty” (Iwanami Shoten), “Report: The Ministry of Justice Conceals the Reality of the Death Penalty” (Wondongsha New Book).