Prabowo’s party does about face after earlier backing LGBT jobseeker rights

CNN Indonesia – November 29, 2019
People hold rainbow umbrella at Hotel Indonesia traffic circle – Undated (CNN)
People hold rainbow umbrella at Hotel Indonesia traffic circle – Undated (CNN)

Jakarta – The deputy chairperson of Prabowo Subianto’s Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Fadli Zon, insists that his party rejects Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) because it conflicts with social norms.

Zon’s statement was in response to an earlier statement by Gerindra posted on its official Twitter account @gerindra which stated that the party does not agree with the move by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) barring LGBT people from applying as candidate state civil servants (CPNS).

As a result of the tweet, some netizens saw this as Gerindra supporting the campaign for LGBT.

“The Gerindra Party clearly rejects LGBT. [We] also reject campaigns [supporting] LGBT which conflict with religions everywhere and the norms which live and grow in Indonesian society”, said Zon on his Twitter account @fadlizon.

Speaking separately, Gerindra Deputy Secretary General Andre Rosiade also emphasised that his party does not support LGBT, citing the party’s statues and rules of association (AD/ART).

In Article 4 it states that Gerindra is based on the state ideology of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution. Rosiade also referred to Article 7 which explains that Gerindra identifies itself as nationalist, populist, religious and supports social justice.

“Gerindra could not possibly support LGBT”, said Rosiade when contacted by CNN Indonesia.

An earlier posting on the @gerindra Twitter account through the hashtag #SuaraGerindra stated that it does not agree with the AGO’s policy of rejecting LGBT people applying for CPNS positions.

It said that the AGO’s rejection of LGBT as CPNS is not in accordance with and conflicts with the values of Pancasila, particularly the principle of Belief in the Almighty God and humanity which is just and civilised.

Gerindra explained that all Indonesian citizens have the same rights and obligations, including LGBT people. The obligation of LGBT people is to respect and obey the law along with the values of Pancasila. On rights, Gerindra said that LGBT people are entitled to their full rights as citizens. (ugo)

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Fadli Zon: Gerindra Menolak LGBT”.]

Source: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20191129083251-32-452529/fadli-zon-gerindra-menolak-lgbt