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House passes revisions to MD3 law authorising legal action against critics

Detik News - February 12, 2018

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Gibran Maulana Ibrahim, Jakarta – This afternoon the House of Representatives (DPR) enacted revisions to the Legislative Institutions Law (UU MD3) which contains several controversial articles, one of which is that anyone who criticise the DPR can be prosecuted under law.

The revisions to the UU MD3 were enacted at a plenary meeting chaired by DPR Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon on Monday February 12. The law was enacted even though two political party factions, the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Democrat Part (NasDem), walked out.

One of the controversial articles is Article 122 which regulates the duties of the DPR's ethics council (Mahkamah Kehormatan Dewan, MKD). Paragraph (k) of the article gives the MKD the authority to pursue legal action against parties who degrade the DPR.

"[The MKD is authorised] to take legal and/or other measures against individuals, groups or legal entities that degrade the honor or the DPR and DPR members", reads the article.

The revisions to the UU MD3 have been criticised as being anti-democratic and it is very likely that the law will be challenged in the Constitutional Court. (imk/imk)

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the article was DPR Sahkan Revisi UU MD3, Pengkritik DPR Bisa Dipidana.]

Source: https://news.detik.com/berita/3863669/dpr-sahkan-revisi-uu-md3-pengkritik-dpr-bisa-dipidana.

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