Insulting the president (Muhlis)

Jokowi’s administration plans to revive the 264 article that could see those who insult the president in public jailed for up to five years or if a law enforcement institution finds that people have insulted the President or Vice President through social media,  they might face a maximum of five years’ imprisonment for insulting the president or the vice presiden. Because of it, a number of social media users refuse the plan. The writer tries to understand the possibility in implementing this 264 article.

There are two things that goverment should be concerned namely the difference between  critizing and defaming. Unfortunately not many people know the differences. We criticize the policies, rules or implementation issued by goverment for instance and we are unsatisfied with the policies automatically we do something refusing. On the other hand, both critizing and defaming are categorized as “derogatory terms”.

Moreover, If the article is enacted, it will exactly be similar to a communist regime, where everyone becomes afraid to give a critism for our president. Whereas in democracy, public critics are important as surveillance.  This article kills every person’s right to criticize the president. Thus, Freedom of expression is limited by this article.

Furthemore, President Jokowi must not be allergic to criticism, criticism toward him must be always appreciated as long as it is constructive, not destructive. It’s not agreeable if the Jokowi administration proposes a law that insulting the president is considered a crime and results in jail. The president should and must be able to be criticised because he is running an agenda that concerns the public.

To sum up, I strongly suggest that Jokowi and his administration stop the move to reintroduce the law. Because it only create anger among the people because every single person has different percepctive between critizing and defaming. There are many kinds of crtitics must not be tolerated and those people will be sued. Therefore, the plan should be dropped.