The government and the House of Representatives (DPR) have decided to postpone the endorsement of several bills to allow time for reviewing problematic articles and communicating them to the public.
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JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The demands raised by student demonstrations in a number of regions have been heard. The government and the House of Representatives (DPR) have decided to postpone the endorsement of several bills to allow time for reviewing problematic articles and communicating them to the public.
The government and the DPR should open space for the public in discussing the bills. At the same time, all parties should exercise restraint and avoid violence. The issue should not have led to a mass action like that in Slipi, Jakarta, which was followed with several public facilities such as a toll gate and police station being set alight on Tuesday evening (24/9/2019).
At noon on Tuesday, the House decided during a plenary meeting to postpone the endorsement of the Criminal Code Bill (RKUHP) and the Correctional Facilities Bill. Two other bills, the Land Bill and the Mineral and Coal Mining Bill, are still under deliberation.
House Speaker Bambang Soesatyo said that the decision at the plenary meeting was made in accordance with the wishes of President Joko Widodo and the results of a DPR Consultative Body meeting, as well as a lobbying forum.
“With the postponement, the DPR and the government will review the articles in the RKUHP, especially those in the public spotlight. We will also intensify communication on the RKUHP so that the public receives a comprehensive explanation,” said Bambang.
The postponement of the RKHUP and the three other bills were part of the demands of recent student demonstrations in several areas, including the one at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta. Another demand was the revocation of the revised Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law, which the House approved at a plenary meeting last week for passing into law.
As the demands had been met, Bambang said, he asked that the students go home. He has also expressed a desire to engage in dialogue with representatives of the student demonstration at Senayan, but the plan was called off when the situation became heated. However, Bambang remained in his office last night until the students dispersed.
Chaotic
The student demonstration at the legislative complex was peaceful from morning to midday. But in the afternoon, a fracas arose when a number of students forced their way into the complex, and police sprayed water and fired tear gas to drive them back.
At around 6:30 p.m., however, a group of students returned to the toll road section that passes the gate to the legislative complex. They stood on the median at first, but then began approaching the complex gate. Chaos descended when the police told the crowd to retreat.
At about 8:30 p.m., a fire was visible at the tollgate in front of the Supreme Audit Agency. The Palmerah Police substation across the legislative complex on Jl. Tentara Pelajar was also set alight, as well as a motorcycle that was at the substation. The main thoroughfare in Slipi became impassable due to the mass action. Riot police were still trying to gain control over the situation at midnight.
A skirmish also marked the student protest at the Central Java Regional Legislative Council (DPRD), which is located in the same complex as the Governor’s Office, leading to the collapse of the gates to the Central Java DPRD. Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, who met with the students, appealed to them to be “smart” in holding their protest.
A student demonstration in North Sumatra descended into violence, with several police cars burned and causing damage to the buildings of the North Sumatra DPRD and Medan DPRD.
The demonstration at the South Sulawesi DPRD yesterday was marred by an incident in which students threw rocks hurling at the DPRD and security personnel guarding the facility.
Dialogue
Professor Azyumardi Azra of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta expressed hope that the government would soon hold a dialogue to calm the situation. “Dialogue can be held with professors – the professors association has many members – or with [university] Student Executive Bodies (BEMs) throughout Indonesia, with civil society,” he said.
At the same time however, added Azyumardi, students and civil society should also be open to dialogue. Students should not give voice to their objections by committing acts that only contributed to political and economic instability.
Bishops Council of Indonesia chairman Mgr. Ignatius Suharyo also called on the students to stage peaceful demonstrations. Once their voices had been heard, they should be ready to engage in dialogue with stakeholders.
The wave of student protests in several areas, Suharyo continued, indicated the existence of problems that must be handled promptly. He hoped all parties could think clearly in identifying the relevant issues and determining measures to resolve them. “The most important thing is that officials of the executive, legislative and judiciary are capable of maintaining public confidence so they can perform their duties properly,” he said.
Nahdlatul Ulama Central Board secretary-general Helmy Faishal Zainy said that students should start reducing tensions because the DPR had met their demand to postpone several problematic bills.