Marlinda Oktavia Erwanti, Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Deputy Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW) is calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to issue a regulation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) in the hope that in will end the polemic on LGBT in Indonesia.

“As I conveyed to Pak Jokowi before, the state should immediately draft a regulation or support the DPR so it can immediately draft a regulation on this issue, in order to avoid a prolonged and drawn out polemic”, said Wahid in a written statement on Tuesday November 6.

Wahid said that the LGBT issue is still a problem that is specific to Indonesia. According to Wahid, as a constitutional state, Indonesia should have a special regulation which regulates LGBT practices.

Wahid then gave the example of the Go-Jek ride-hailing app employee who expressed support for LGBT practices which then went viral and created a stir on social media. He believes that this case has continued to become a polemic because there is no special regulation on LGBT in Indonesia.

Yet, according to Wahid, although there are no legal provisions which specifically prohibit LGBT in Indonesia, this doesn’t mean that the state can just allow the practice to continue. Particularly given that the nation is based on the principles of the state ideology Pancasila.

“The MK [Constitutional Court] threw the ball in the DPR’s court. But the DPR has yet to finish drafting the legal regulations. However, in other words, just because there is no definitive legal regulations, it doesn’t mean that Indonesia has a legal vacuum”, he said.

“If we refer to Pancasila, it is very clear isn’t it, the first principle is ‘Belief in the one and only God’. What then is God, in other words, does he legitimise the deviation of LGBT? Of course not” said Wahid.

The deputy chairperson of the Islamic based Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) explained his reasons for pushing the government to immediately issue a regulation prohibiting LGBT: because he does not want LGBT practices to become a social trend in the future.

“Lest this become a trend, as if it’s allowed, [as if] there’s no problem, then others will do the same thing”, he said.

Moreover, said Wahid, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has said that LGBT represents a proxy war against Indonesia which could threaten national security.

“So the state must have a role, safeguarding the nation’s citizens and the state from the proxy war that is LGBT”, concluded Wahid. (mae/tor)

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was HNW Minta Jokowi Segera Terbitkan Aturan Larangan LGBT.]

Source: https://news.detik.com/berita/d-4290206/hnw-minta-jokowi-segera-terbitkan-aturan-larangan-lgbt