Jakarta – The West Sumatra (Sumbar) Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) is currently studying a plan to draft a regional regulation (Perda) to eradicate social diseases in the Minang area, especially lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT).
"The Sumbar DPRD is reviewing the possibility of forming a regional regulation related to LGBT" said DPRD Deputy Speaker Nanda Satria in Padang on Saturday January 4.
According to Satria, currently there are regions in West Sumatra province which have already produced regulations on the eradication of LGBT. Therefore, the DPRD believes that the provincial government also needs to do the same thing.
This move is hoped to be a solution to overcome social diseases in the area known by the Minangkabau cultural philosophy of Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah (Culture is Based on Sharia (Islamic Law), Sharia is based on the Quran).
"The local government must design a joint strategy to resolve this issue effectively", he asserted.
According to Satria, deviant behaviours like LGBT are closely related to HIV/AIDS. In addition to the formation of a regulation, regency and municipal DPRDs have urged the government massively increase socialisation on the prevention of infectious diseases through various publications such as billboards and government-owned videotrons.
"In the future, billboards or videotrons belonging to local governments must contain educational content about the dangers of social diseases. Don't just display photos of regional heads", he warned.
Meanwhile, the head of the Padang City Health Office, Srikurnia Yati, revealed that out of the 308 HIV cases in Padang, as many as 166 cases (53.8 percent) came from outside the city, while 142 other cases (46.2 percent) were residents of Padang city.
From the total number of HIV sufferers, the Padang City Health Office recorded that the highest number of cases were in Tangah City regency, namely 40 cases, and 22 cases in Lubuk Begalung regency. Meanwhile the smallest number of cases are in Lubuk Kilangan regency, namely four cases.
In the findings of the Padang City Health Office, more that half of the cases affected individuals of productive age, namely in the 24 to 45-year age group. The behaviour of men who have sex with other men (LSL) is one of the main causes of the increasing number of HIV cases in Padang city. (Antara/kid)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "DPRD Sumbar Ingin Buat Perda untuk Berantas dan Cegah LGBT".]
