Supriyadi – The Depok municipal Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) has tabled a draft regional regulation (Raperda) against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT). Loosing Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto’s Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) is at the forefront of the anti-LGBT fight in Depok.
This was revealed by DPRD Gerindra faction member Hamzah who said that the draft anti-LGBT bylaw (perda) has in essence a philosophical, sociological and judicial basis. In addition to this, the bylaw represents the wishes of the Depok City community.
“We tabled the anti-LGBT raperda for deliberation and enactment as a regional regulation. All of the factions [in the DPRD] support it and the initiator of the raperda is the Gerindra faction”, said Hamzah when sought for confirmation by Suara.com on Sunday July 21.
“The proposed raperda was tabled some time ago and is already supported by seven factions and should have already been ratified”, continued Hamzah.
Hamzah explained that the basis for submitting the draft bylaw was first, philosophical, where the state is based on the state ideology of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945). So it is appropriate to curb acts which are deemed to harm these loftily values.
“LGBT behaviour is deemed to conflict with the first and second principles of Pancasila [Belief in the one and only God and a just and civilised humanity]”, said Hamzah.
Second a sociological basis with Hamzah saying factually what has been found to be happening in Depok is related to the phenomena of LGBT.
This is based on information from the Depok City National AIDS Commission (KPA) which has recorded an increase in the number of men having same-sex relations which are flourishing in the city of Depok, a strategic region.
“In 2014 it was recorded that there were 4,932 gays and this is growing, now there are around 5,791 gays”, he said.
Furthermore, the Depok Social Affairs Office has revealed that out of the 222 people infected with HIV, 114 are gay. This data was obtained from organisations and community healthcare centres (Puskesmas) that have been working in partnership with the Depok Social Affairs Office between January and March 2017.
“The Depok City Health Office also recorded that the number of HIV and AIDS sufferers in the city has reached 168 people in September 2018. This total is dominated by sufferers who practice deviant sexual behaviour namely men who love men or gays”, he said.
“This [bylaw] was proposed some time ago and almost seven factions agree with it and we from Gerindra are asking that it be ratified immediately”, he said in conclusion.
Speaking separately, the chairperson of the Depok City DPRD Regional Regulation Drafting Agency (Bapemperda), Sri Utami, explained that they have not yet received an explanation about the draft anti-LGBT bylaw.
Moreover, they have also not obtained a disposition from the DPRD leadership to follow up on the proposed bylaw and do not yet know what the draft bylaw is like.
“It’s a proposal from the Gerindra faction. A proposal from a paripurna [plenary meeting] but I’ve forgotten on what date. But in the end all of the factions signed off on the raperda”, said Utami.
Utami explained that the if the draft bylaw is to be followed up on it must go through a long process in accordance with Law Number 11/2012 which is mandated under Regional Regulation 1/2018 on Procedures.
“An academic text must be drafted. Then it’s submitted to the DPRD. The DPRD holds a plenary meeting where views are presented by the factions. If it’s agreed to only then can it be forwarded to the Bapemperda for deliberation and be proposed for inclusion in the Propemperda [Regional Regulation Drafting Program]”, explained Utami.
According to Utami, in general the draft bylaw will be appreciated because the growth in the number of LGBT people is of increasing concern not just in Depok, but nationally as well.
“We need an effort to save our [next] generation. Depok itself has actually already issued a mayoral circular on LGBT which regulates this issue. It would great if indeed it is proposed that this become a perda, so they can complement each other”, she said in conclusion.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Depok Akan Rancang Perda Anti LGBT, Inisiatornya Partai Gerindra”.]
