Total Ban on LGBT Content in the Broadcasting Bill is Smart Decisions
Last week, the House’s Legislative Body (Baleg) and Commission I that oversees broadcasting had yet to agree on a single version of the draft bill that they could use as reference for deliberation, given the stakes involved.
The lawmakers, however, had had no reservation when considering a proposal to rid the public space of anything related to the lesbian gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
Article 61 point 2 of the latest bill, stipulates that the Broadcasting Program Standard (SPS) bans 12 criteria of broadcasting content, including programs containing “LGBT behavior”.
All LGBT campaigns, LGBT docummentaries and comedy shows featuring men or women behaving like the opposite gender will not be allowed on screen, the bill says. Programs promoting or starring members of the LGBT community will also be banned.
Article 140 of the bill stipulates that all moves, drama series and advertisements broadcast on TV must be screened by the cencorship agency that would ensure the SPS rules on LGBT content are enforced.
Most factions at the House argue that the LGBT community are immoral and dangerous and thus the ban is needed to protect younger generation, particularity children.
The House claims that the decision follows the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission’s (KPI) statement last year that discouraged broadcasters, television and radio stations from running programs that promote the activities of LGBT community.
The broadcasting bill, the deliberation of which has been ongoing since the House’s previous period, also elaborates a provision that will not allow members of the LGBT community to participate as members of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission’s (KPI), with article 39 emphazing that to be a KPI member, one must not have a deviant sexual orientation.
Last year, the Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI) called for legislation to ban homosexuality in Indonesia and demanded that homosexcuals be criminally charged for their “deviant” sexual orientation.
Smart Decisions
The broadcasting bill which is banned the LGBT content on all of broadcasting materials on TV dan radio programs is a smart decisions, because the bill had been respected Indonesia people’s perception about LGBT. However, Indonesia had norms and ethical values. Besides that, in general, people disagree with the promotion of LGT community.
The LGBT banned didn’t related to get politician interests, because the LGBT content has been rejected, because its would be damaged ethical, religious and norms values in Indonesia, and its could give a bad influences for younger generation.
The efforts of high-ranking government officials had been supported call for banned on LGBT activities on campuses, TV and radio programs last year was strategic and corect efforts, because the definition of LGBT has been clear. LGBT is a deviant sexual orientation which could damage religious and social values in the society.
In general, Indonesia people had been described that homosexuality such a crime, because homosexuality activities had been contrasted and contraried with religious teachings, national ideology and social and cultural values. Homosexuality could have damage the regulation of citizenship, because the state didn’t take them as purely man or women. Those impacts is the government could not make the right decision LGBT community contribution to the society and country.
The banning of the LGBT content on broadcasting materials is the only one smart decisions from the House’s achievement amid their controversial related to the allegation of the house speaker, Setya Novanto has been named as verdict by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on the e-KTP graft.
*) Wildan Nasution, Senior observer at Strategic Assessment, Jakarta.
