| Submit your comments on this article | |||
| Southeast Asia | |||
| Indonesia debates new morality | |||
| 2005-02-07 | |||
You can thank Robert Rubin, Clinton's overrated Treasury Secretary, for this - his indifference to Soros's machinations in the currency markets led to Suharto's collapse. Now we have Islamism rearing its ugly head in Indonesia.
A long awaited draft revision of the Indonesian criminal code proposes harsh fines and prison terms for those who flout the rules. Many say the existing code inherited from Dutch rule is Under the proposed draft, offenders caught kissing in the open could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined as much as 300 million rupiah (A$42,590), reports the Jakarta Post. Unmarried couples living together could be penalised with up to two years in jail. It would also give police and officials the power to raid houses of all those they suspected of living together. Justice ministry official Abdul Gani Abdullah said the law would only apply if others complained. "Kissing in public is a crime if the people around are not happy and lodge a complaint. But if they think it's all right, then no action will be taken," he told the AFP news agency. "The same goes with cohabitation. If neighbours think the presence of an unmarried couple living together is a nuisance, they can report to police."
Legal expert Andi Hamzah asked "What about tourists? Will we hunt them down too?"
| |||
| Posted by:Zhang Fei |
| #2 This may be more of a local cultural issue than a Muslim issue. I went to graduate school with a young man from Red China during the late ‘70s. He was never comfortable with public displays of affection. In his home culture, holding hands was a no-no and a public kiss would be obscene. Before Japan hosted the Olympics the government ran a public education campaign to encourage people not to urinate on public streets. The government knew that this common and accepted local behavior would offend European and American visitors. When should individual freedom be constrained by public consensus? In one’s own home a person should be able to do what they wish without interference. But should a person be allowed to play a boom box at full volume on a public street? Should a nudist be allowed to practice his lifestyle choice in the local public park? My right to free choice and expression can run up against another person’s right not to be assaulted by my behavior. In practice such issues are resolved through animalistic social behavior ranging from public displays of disgust to physical attacks. Local law formalizes local consensus. |
| Posted by: Anonymous5032 2005-02-07 3:56:40 PM |
| #1 Indonesia: Poster child of moderate islam. Isn't this country supposed to be proof of how tolerant islam can be? Isn't it supposed to be an example that muslim countries can be just as modern as any others? Isn't it supposed to be proof that we dont have to worry about moderate islam? Isn't Indonesia supposed to somehow prove that moderate islam is the answer to islamism? Sounds like they are caving in to me which is what always happens whenever a liberal form of religion meets a more assertive conservative form. It isnt a matter of simply encouraging moderation in practice and teaching, it does matter what the source is. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Moderate islam can't hold up to islamism. Its a pipe dream to think it can. Just wait and see as Indonesia only gets more strict and conservative. Just watch as it begins to stagnate culturally and economically in direct proporation to how seriously it takes islamic law. Yes I would love to see how they deal with the tension between Western tourists and this new law. You can't have morality laws for natives while Western tourists cavort around and dress as they please and you can't force western tourists to obey the morality laws and expect them to keep coming for vacation. You'd think the answer would be a no-brainer but I don't doubt that if given a choice between tourist income and stricter islam that the indonesians will choose stricter islam. We all know the muslim penchant for shooting themselves in the foot in order to impress Allan. |
| Posted by: peggy 2005-02-07 2:57:28 PM |