“The criminal code is not an ivory tower. It needs other disciplines; it needs various perspectives in order to perfect the RKUHP,” he remarked during a public dialogue on the RKUHP, which was streamed on the Ministry of Communication and Information's YouTube channel and followed from here on Wednesday.
In line with President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi’s) instructions, the formulation of the RKUHP will entail greater public involvement through the seeking of more inputs and carrying out dissemination, Hiariej said.
"So that we all will have a better understanding of the Criminal Code, which belongs to us all," he explained.
He further said that the biggest challenge for the RKUHP formulation team is trying to find a middle ground and minimize the differences between the diversity of proposals, the diversity of inputs, and the diversity of aspirations regarding the RKUHP.
One example is the regulation of cohabitation and fornication, he informed. There are provinces that clearly state that cohabitation and fornication do not need to be regulated because they are deemed private.
However, when the RKUHP formulation team visited West Sumatra, they were told that fornication and cohabitation should be regulated because they are considered to violate religious norms, he explained.
To this end, more inputs and aspirations from the public need to be sought in the drafting of the RKUHP to find a middle ground, he said.
"Formulating the RKUHP in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural nation is not an easy thing," the deputy minister added.
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Translator: Putu Indah, Raka Adji
Editor: Sri Haryati
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