Police fire water canon as Indonesians rally against new penal code

September 24, 2019, 06.18 PM | Source: Reuters
Police fire water canon as Indonesians rally against new penal code

ILUSTRASI. UNJUK RASA MAHASISWA DI DPR


On the main street through Jakarta, hundreds of others were marching down toward parliament after protesting in front of the presidential palace, blocking traffic.

“We’re going to parliament to oppose the new law for the anti-corruption agency that are not pro-people but are pro-corruptors,” Fuad Wahyudin, 21-year-old student from an Islamic university in West Java, told Reuters.

“The criminal code is the same, it doesn’t side with the people,” said Wahyudin.

Though the president had ordered a delay in the criminal code, Wahyudin said he wants to make sure parliament does not pass the bill into law until they change it to reflect demand from protesters.

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President Widodo told Indonesians this month he would not compromise in the fight against graft, amid concerns over the officer picked to head the anti-corruption agency and proposed changes curbing its right to wiretap suspects without a warrant.

Police also fired tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters in Bandung, West Java, who hurled rocks at police officers near a local parliament building.

Students had stayed in front of Jakarta’s parliament until near midnight on Monday, breaking part of the fence and blocking a toll road.

Media said more than 5,000 police personnel have been deployed to maintain security in the capital Jakarta.

Editor: Tendi Mahadi

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