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Indonesia bans sex outside marriage in new criminal code

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By Ananda Teresia and Kate Lamb

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Albert Aries, a spokesperson for Indonesia's justice ministry, said the new laws regulating morality were limited by who could report them, such as a parent, spouse or child of suspected offenders.

Well that makes it alright then. Deputizing family members as secret morality police. Can see no problems happening there at all.

The cancerous effect of fundamentalist religions on politics can be found in not only Indonesia.

25 ( +29 / -4 )

This is a guarantee way for corruption to run rampant. You can bet the authorities are gonna take a lot of bribes just to look the other way whenever they catch any violators.

21 ( +24 / -3 )

What a retard backwards idea. Bravo/s

14 ( +17 / -3 )

This is going to be a nightmare, especially for women. Being pregnant and single is by itself now evidence that you committed a crime that will get you imprisoned in Indonesia.

24 ( +26 / -2 )

Incredible, this is the most ridiculous, absurd and pathetic law I have ever seen in my life...

That is the result of joining politics with religious fundamentalism..

And I am not mistaken in saying that in the US there are ultra-conservative sectors that would dream of imposing this kind of backward caveman laws..

-3 ( +14 / -17 )

Foreign arrivals in the holiday destination of Bali are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels of six million by 2025

Bali being a Hindu majority island in the otherwise Muslim country and also a major tourist destination should be kept out of such laws.

Ancient Hindus were as liberal as the modern West is today. Wonder if they will ban Kamasutra next.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

Suits & neckties dont make you civilized.

Everytime I see someone saying they are 'oppressed' in America I die inside.

9 ( +14 / -5 )

I think we all smell religion here.

Keep this nonsense out of politics.

21 ( +26 / -5 )

Hey... But all cultures are equal etc etc.....

Except they are not.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

Can't take the Girlfriend on Holiday to Indonesia.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

This new Law may be hard on any overseas students in Indonesia.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

It’ll be interesting when the young Aussie school leavers go over for their holiday.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

I would suspect that tourists will be exempt from this, unless some other legal issue comes up that they would add this to.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

This article misses the real intention for banning premarital sex. Gay and lesbian marriage is outlawed in Indonesia, therefore, from now on all gay sex is illegal. Welcome to the Bronze Age, again.

12 ( +17 / -5 )

the real intention for banning premarital sex. Gay and lesbian marriage is outlawed in Indonesia, therefore, from now on all gay sex is illegal.

Wow, that's very true. It's a sad day for Indonesia.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

This article misses the real intention for banning premarital sex. Gay and lesbian marriage is outlawed in Indonesia, therefore, from now on all gay sex is illegal. Welcome to the Bronze Age, again.

Looks like the Indonesian legislators want to plug every hole.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

ETTER START BUILDING MORE AND MORE JAILS .

Islam prohibits sex outside marriage but most Islamic nations do not enforce it, so happened here!??

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Islam grants "temporary marriages", often for prostitution. Maybe this will be used more in the future for ordinary people on dates?

2 ( +7 / -5 )

@Anonymous

Good One, LOL.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

the Indonesian jails are gonna be full of promiscuous teenagers and tourists. Say goodbye to the sex industry in Indonesia. This country already has some seriously stupid laws and this is just another one to add to the long list.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

A lot of people going to jail me thinks...

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Boy it's getting harder and harder to have fun these days, feel sorry for todays teens.

Back in the old days we had everything and anything at ease, nowadays kids are restrained and caged.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Just curious, is there a reward for anyone turning in someone who breaks this new Law ?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Tokyoliving

"...in the US there are ultra-conservative sectors that would dream of imposing this kind of backward caveman laws..."

Except they haven't and they can't. BIG difference. Still, I hope that bringing the US into this story, which has nothing to do with the US, apart from its vocal condemnation of this potential abuse of human rights, satisfies that big and ever-present chip on your shoulder.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

This law is a good way of stopping a lot of tourists from going to Indonesia!!! I am sure there are other places people can go to with out risk of having problems. This law would mean that an unmarried couple will not be able to stay in a same room. Nor can one invite a girl you just met at a bar back to your room either! Without running a risk of some opportunistic Police officer demanding a bribe... I wouldn't go, screw that, I don't need that kind of problems, I'll go elsewhere!!!

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Indonesia has always been culturally backwards. This just sends it back even further. Avoid the place at all costs.

You can bet on the fact that half of Indonesians would be contravening these laws at some stage. So its a pure political stunt.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Indonesian society engages in rampant discrimination against Christians, in all sorts of ways from obstacles in employment and school admission as well as using legal loopholes to prevent the building of churches -- and no one bats an eye.

But when Indonesia bans extramarital sex, people on here lose their minds.

Tells us where the priorities lie

Discrimination against Christians should be accepted.

What do you think of this ban? You didn’t offer an opinion. I hope you are not picking and choosing with your sense of justice here.

That would be laughable.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Also - 3 years prison for "insulting the President of Indonesia". Hilarious and paranoid.

The Indonesian President is setting himself up as a cheap version of Chairman Xi.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

I really wonder why people are so scared of sex.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

They don't want premarital sex or extramarital sex as part of their culture.

If the people didn't want it as part of their culture, there wouldn't be enough people engaging in it for it to be a problem, would it? If the people are having sex, premarital, extra marital or whatever, doesn't that mean that they do want it in their culture?

People who don't want to do it, don't need to do it.

What business is it of the politicians what folk do in the privacy of the bedroom?

13 ( +15 / -2 )

3 years prison for insulting the President of Indonesia

Guess I'm safe then since I don't even know his name.

I really don't get all these countries looking to the past and picking all the shittiest things to bring back. One thing for sure though, as long as it's men in charge these laws won't apply to them, but I guess they can just buy as many wives as they want.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

buua

Today 01:45 pm JST

Most international tourists go to Bali. Maybe Bali should consider getting independent from mainly Muslim Indonesia.

Sure ask East Timor how that went?

Indonesia is not going to give up Bali without a fight and anyway as it is going now in Bali and Papua New Guinea the government program of displacing the natives and then replacing them will be complete before that could happen.

I don't see any one like Australia, USA, Germany, France stepping in to protect the Hindu in Bali not blonde hair blue eyes.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

Can one Insult the Indonesian President outside of the Country without incurring the wrath of this new Law ?

If not, then I could imagine planes flying over its airspace being diverted to the nearest military base in order to detain individuals accused of such "crimes"...

Not sure about the Legitimacy of this report... though, you read it there first:

https://www.betootaadvocate.com/uncategorized/thousands-of-perth-to-bali-flights-cancelled-after-indonesia-implements-ban-on-pre-marital-sex/

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Funniest yet sadist thing I've ever read, why is the world ran by fools?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

 It will also ban insulting the president or state institutions....

Ah, lèse-maj·es·té, When dissent = treason.

So much for Indonesia and any semblance of democracy.

And what is democracy, stripped of all its ideological dressings, other than feedback to power.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Sounds like North Korea!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

No more Bali bang bang

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Authoritarian islamic morals strike again. Like Iran, more brain damage.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Just because Western culture tolerates sex outside of marriage doesn't mean the Indonesians have to.

It also means anyone visiting or working in Indonesia also has to abstain from sex. Strict drug rules, ok. Imprisonment for the most basic and universal pleasure, no. Don’t be ridiculous.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Christmas has come early for Malaysia. They can cherry pick talent, including STEM undergrads, graduates, start-ups, ex-pats, and, well, just about anyone they want. They will also scoop up a large chunk of Indonesia's tourism as many Western backpackers and unmarried couples will shift to a nearby location, fearing Iranian-style morality police. The Taliban seem to be winning.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

The way Metoo and consent laws are going, the west will be in the same boat shortly.

Absolute and utter nonsense.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

So I guess they plan on expanding their jails and prisons then because those cells are going to be brimming with prisoners when the law comes into effect. Nuts. Way to take a bazillion steps back.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

If they really wanted to torpedo their own tourist industry they couldn’t have found a better way of doing it. Now needs an international campaign warning any potential visitors for their own safety.

These extremists fixated on their imaginary friend seeking to control peoples behaviour are a menace around the globe. If criticising the president is a crime does that mean anyone standing against him at the next election is automatically guilty of this crime and thus debarred from standing? Great democracy they have there; pity the Indonesian people.

All the neighbouring countries should immediately start advertising their tourist industries!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I guess that means no more Cabana boys for the western woman on vacation in Bali.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Islam and civil liberties don’t go hand in hand.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

In other words Indonesia is saying we know sex sells but we need to put a cap on it!!

Currently, Indonesia bans adultery but not premarital sex.

Maulana Yusran, deputy chief of Indonesia's tourism industry board, said the new code was "totally counter-productive" at a time when the economy and tourism were starting to recover from the pandemic.

"We deeply regret the government have closed their eyes. We have already expressed our concern to the ministry of tourism about how harmful this law is," he said.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Don’t miss the part where it says the new laws weaken the punishments for corruption. So police and people in power will expect bribes in order to look the other way, knowing that they face little punishment

7 ( +7 / -0 )

The institution of marriage is a good one, but Mother Nature is not so picky. Where there is a will, there is a way, with or without marriage.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Doubt this will change any behaviors. For thousands of years, religions have preached not to have sex before marriage, yet 50% of all marriages are caused by pregnancy (and lack of choosing abortion).

In the USA, "48 percent of all first births are now to unmarried women." That means far more were pregnant and chose to terminate the pregnancy. Simple logic.

Do people buy the cow, without tasting the milk first?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Guess I'm safe then since I don't even know his name.

Their PM is Joko Widodo. With a name like his and all the opportunities to engage in word play with it the sensitivity of the matter is perhaps understandable. It doesn't excuse the imposition on free speech and political satire, but understandable nonetheless.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I wonder if the law will be enforced against the sizeable Chinese Buddhist and Christian populations in Indonesia?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I guess there is always Mutah, i.e. "temporary marriage", which is allowed under some interpretations of Islam particularly among Shiites.

https://muslimgirl.com/lets-talk-mutah-temporary-marriage-islam/

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I know many moderate Indonesian who follow the Muslim faith and do not agree with this law. They embrace their lives as international individuals and believe this is going to reflect poorly on Indonesian people and will cut the number of people visiting that will put further hurt on the economy.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Our problem is not about prohibiting sex outside of marriage, another part is forbidding people to criticize the government, we find that democracy is stolen

2 ( +2 / -0 )

What about their erotic sculptures, sex festival? Also, Indonesian are the No. 1 who watch Japanese x videos.

Too bad for Japanese x idols who can't now settle there.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

All the neighbouring countries should immediately start advertising their tourist industries!

Thailand - infinitely nicer islands, friendlier, welcoming locals, a richer and far more tolerant culture, a religion that does not set the state law, amazing food.

It's a complete no-brainer!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I‘ve lived in Indonesia. Corruption and bribery is endemic in daily life. I got out after a year.

I’ve been following ‘developments’ there for many years, each year it sadly becomes more and more a place I would gladly avoid.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Sex can never be banned. The more you ban it, the more it will happen. Indonesia has not learned the ABC of sex. The Catholic church has been banning sex for 2022 years.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Indonesia bans sex outside marriage in new criminal code

Smart move; it will protect their society from a variety of negative issues.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Smart move; it will protect their society from a variety of negative issues.

Like freedom. Freedom would cause a lot of issues.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Cards fanToday  03:18 pm JST

Like freedom. Freedom would cause a lot of issues.

People are free to obey the laws.

When people don't obey the laws, this causes a lot of issues.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

People are free to obey the laws.

lol That's not what freedom is.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Dacronian measures turning away from democracy.

It will also ban insulting the president or state institutions, spreading views counter to the state ideology and staging protests without notification.

13% are non-Muslims.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Sadly, the beginnings of another post revolution Iran. Damaging to humanity. Funnily enough @painkiller is the only one who seems to agree with this utter nonsense. Shock.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

theResidentDec. 9  07:12 pm JST

Sadly, the beginnings of another post revolution Iran. Damaging to humanity. Funnily enough @painkiller is the only one who seems to agree with this utter nonsense. Shock.

Indonesia becoming a post revolution Iran!

Outlandish and simply stunningly giddy remarks for sure.

Any research to support such a, ahem, hypotheses?

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Hardly outlandish remarks. Adultery has certainly been around longer than the Koran. A coup by Muslim Clerics...... Could all escalate very quickly. Still, for someine as religious as yourself @painkiller, of course open to interpretation.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So, respect their culture. They don't want premarital sex or extramarital sex as part of their culture. Apply your own rules, "progressives," and respect it.

@Hackman - who is the "they"? It seems to be an unpopular law according to the article. It is something that has been forced through by a small group of religious fundamentalists.

I see some parallels to the current US Supreme Court.

My suggestion is that if you don't like sex outside of marriage, don't engage in sex outside of marriage. But don't tell me what I can do because of your belief in what a fictional supernatural being thinks.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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