Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

The DPR legalised the bill this afternoon, October 30th.
Only two fractions, the PDS (Partai Damai Sejahtera) and the PDI-P of Megawati walked out the room in sign of opposition.
Even if the law has been passed we can reasonnably hope that it won't affect Bali.

Here is a few links I found:

Bahasa Indonesia:
http://www.partaidamaisejahtera.com/...p?news_id=1461

http://www.elshinta.com/v2003a/readnews.htm?id=59891

http://www.dpr.go.id/artikel/terkini...l.php?aid=5361

http://www.kompas.com/read/xml/2008/....UU.Pornografi

English:

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/as...417330298.html

http://news.id.msn.com/regional/arti...mentid=1757259


For those who are interested, here is a link proposing a translation of the bill (credit to Purba Negoro).
However, take it with a pinch of salt, because the translation date from September and some articles of the bill in the final version may have been modified. However, it should give an idea about what it is about to non indonesian speakers:
http://www.indonesiamatters.com/2474/porn-laws/

I found this link from The Jakarta Post to be most informative, especially the comments already posted, mostly by Indonesians.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/10/30/house-passes-controversial-antiporn-bill.html

There was little doubt this watered downed bill would pass once it received some major party support, which was a political trade off.

From what I’ve heard, this bill will be subject to Provincial interpretation and enforcement at the Provincial level. In Bali, that largely means, “what bill?”

No doubt the world press will pick up on this, and push their coverage to mean that bikini beach ware is no longer allowed on Bali’s beaches, and paintings of nude or semi-nude women or men will be disallowed, and even worse, a head line like…"Bali presses on towards Sharia Law"…but this will all be over reaction by the press.

Unfortunately, the seeds of this bill were initially cast by a group whose opinions of the “moral fiber” of Indonesia should be dictated by the few, and not the majority. Indeed, as the original draft was offered to the MPR some years ago, it was precisely that. Some aspects of this bill, specifically as it relates to child pornography, is to be applauded, and hopefully embraced by all.

In Bali, there will be NO changes as a result of this bill. In Irian, men will still wear their koteka, and with no fear of being arrested.

What will be interesting though, at least from where I sit, is what, if anything, happens with all those great ads on Indo TV!

Most of the links didnt work for me and on those that did I couldnt find anything about bikinis etc. Though I know Bali is likely to be excluded I have to wonder how Lombok will be effected if at all....

Doesn't seem to make any explicit prohibition of prostitution or did I miss that? It did talk a lot about public 'porn' acts, and while it indicated that it would be illegal to sell sex, it didn't suggest it'd be illegal to pay for sex, or did it?

Ct

Sorry for the links. I guess some informations didn't enjoy the copy/paste...
BTW, bikinis have never been mentionned in any draft of the law.

Here they are:

English
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia- ... 30298.html
Add this one:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081030/wl ... ographylaw

Indonesian
http://www.dpr.go.id/artikel/terkini/ar ... p?aid=5366
http://www.partaidamaisejahtera.com/ter ... ws_id=1461

Ok not bikinis as such but the showing of the midriff, which would rule out the wearing of bikinis.

Haven't seen any mention in the Australian media so far (which is unusual as normally they never miss a chance to slag Indonesia).

With the exception of the child pornography sections that were included, it seems to me to be a primitive law passed to appease religious nut-jobs. It protects nothing but rather imposes moral values upon a society. And these moral values are preached but rarely observed by the very ones that cry out for them - I.e. The practicing religious groups. Why was there no ban imposed on polygamy? Isn't that a more valid issue than the explicit prohibition of homosexual intercourse, when that homosexual intercourse may very well and in all liklihood is occurring between 2 consenting adults? Little to me is different between the indonesian and and iranian governments at this point in time.

Ct

I was talking with a friend of mine today who has been heavily involved in the fight against this (I won't mention his name) and he told me that is exactly the way the opponents across Indonesia plan to fight this..to internationalise it through the global media.

He also believes that anything emanating from Jakarta..cable TV, net etc will be subject to strict overview which will likely mean the loss of many cable channels. I guess we will see.

More from today's Jakarta Post:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/10/31/porn-bill-passed-despite-protests.html

This is how CNN is covering the story. Note the direct reference to bikinis:

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/10/30/indonesia.pornography.ap/index.html

Thanks Roy!

According to a Dutch (online) newspaper, Governor Pastika will not apply the "Anti-Porn" law in Bali, since it not fits in with its culture.

http://www.nu.nl/news/1816595/24/Bali_w ... oeren.html

Bert Vierstra wrote:According to a Dutch (online) newspaper, Governor Pastika will not apply the "Anti-Porn" law in Bali, since it not fits in with its culture.

http://www.nu.nl/news/1816595/24/Bali_w ... oeren.html

But so much we get in Bali comes from Jakarta. I want my internet social networking sites and You Tube sites and there are moves to ban these. I want my Indovision channels. I want my magazines and many of these come from Jakarta importers. And I want to be able to go the movies and bookshops when I go to Jakarta as I do at least once a month, and view the sorts of things I can view in any civilized nation.

Pastika can only ignore this law at a local level.

I'll be watching with great interest to see if Bali is allowed to ignore this law indefinitely or whether the local interpretation and policing will eventully be hammered home to all of Indonesia.

Cheers
Shaz

Is indonesia trying to stop, discourage, prevent westerners coming to Bali?

I cant understand why they want to go backwards in this world.

Although it will be great when they catch and jail the sicko sex tourists coming over and preying on the little kids.

But as for thinking about investing in the island, I'm now cautious, I've put it off for the time being. I will be coming over for a month for meetings soon, but now I'm going to have to wait for a year before doing anything.

I dont want to invest in an indonesian version of Iran/somalia.

You have to look at the overall picture, fear of village police, young gangs harrasing women, loss of tourism dollars, feeling of looking over your shoulder all the time.

I know the people in dubai got jailed as they were having sex on the beach, I know thats wrong, but Jail.... is Bali taking this approach, and the law makers are using a religion to cover up and have their own way so other politicans are fearful for voicing their concerns about the country that employs them. It just seems head staggering.

If bali and indonesia heads down the hardcore, extremist way, then it will be the last westener out can close the door.

Hopefully other politicans can sort something out............ sorry if I offended anyone, I understand islam is a very good religion, you can be proud of that, and I love the indonesian people, its just I think there are better ways a developing country could operate and move forward in the world.

I look forward to my trip to jakarta etc.