IO – Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad has affirmed that the House will prioritize the Sexual Violence Criminal Act Bill (RUU TPKS) to the Deliberative Body for immediate discussion with the Government.
Dasco conveyed this message, responding to President Joko Widodo’s instruction for RUU TPKS to be soon passed into law. “In the upcoming Session, we will prioritize this issue for deliberation, so that it can be submitted to the Government, and the President can send his letter of recommendation to further discussion,” Dasco stated, at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Wednesday (1/5/2022).
Dasco said after the Session Period commences, the House would immediately hold a Leadership Meeting and a Deliberative Body to bring RUU TPKS to the next Plenary Meeting, to be ratified as a House-initiative bill. From the outset, the House has found no significant obstacles in forming RUU TPKS.
He said that RUU TPKS has not been established as a House-initiative bill because of technical impediments. The RUU TPKS composition at the Legislative Body was not completed when the House’s Deliberative Body set the agenda for the last Plenary Session of a Sitting Period. “Because it has come to our attention, and the Deliberative Body is rather cautious, it was concluded rather too close to the last Session Period. We’re not slow. We want the law to be perfect and effective,” explained Dasco.
Dasco assures all that the House of Representatives pays special attention to cases of sexual violence, because the House also receives many related complaints.
Speaker of the House Puan Maharani shared a similar view, with an impetus to guarantee the ratification of RUU TPKS in the next Plenary Session, after the Recess ends next week. She promises that the House will work quickly to ensure RUU TPKS is passed. Once it is passed as a House-initiative bill, it will be immediately submitted to the Government for follow-up on level-2 discussion, Tuesday (1/4/2022).
Puan warmly welcomed President Joko Widodo’s request for the Government’s task force handling RUU TPKS to prepare a Problem Inventory List quickly. “She expects the Government will immediately send a Presidential Letter of Recommendation to discuss RUU TPKS.
The House promises to work optimally during the discussion of RUU TPKS with the Government. Puan hopes the Government is equally committed to the discussion. RUU TPKS has become urgent, as the number of sexual violence cases in Indonesia is becoming worrisome. “We anticipate progressive discussions from the Government’s representatives and the House, so that we can expedite this according to the working mechanism,” said Puan.
She expects supports for RUU TPKS, so victims of sexual violence can receive social and legal protection. “A law focusing on victims of sexual violence is an absolute necessity. When the Law of Sexual Violence as a Criminal Act is effected, we hope there will be no more sexual violence, and the Government can provide maximum protection and services to its citizens, especially women and children,” said Puan.
Sharing the same sentiment, on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel, President Jokowi also expressed his hopes for immediate ratification of RUU TPKS, so victims can receive optimal support, Tuesday (1/4/2022). (des)