Tourists 'think twice' about Indonesia following criminal code revisions - CNA

KUTA, Indonesia: Indonesia's decision to outlaw cohabitation and sex outside of marriage may hurt the tourism industry in Bali, travellers and businesses said, just as the island destination gets back on its feet after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an overhaul of its criminal code that critics have called a step backwards for the world's third-largest democracy, Indonesia this week introduced a host of laws, including banning insulting state institutions and spreading views counter to the country's secular ideology, in addition to morality clauses.

Travellers and businesses warned the new laws could deter foreigners from visiting or investing in Indonesia.

"If I can't stay with my girlfriend in a hotel together, I'd think twice about it," said Wu Bingnan, a 21-year-old tourist from China who was visiting Bali.

Changes to the criminal code will only come into force in three years' time, but Maulana Yusran, deputy chief of Indonesia's tourism industry board, has said the new rules were "totally counter-productive".

Others sought to calm fears of a morality-related crackdown in Indonesia, a nation of 17,000 islands where citizens are predominantly moderate Muslim.

"The regulation just makes it clearer than what we have at the moment, that only certain people have the right to lodge a complaint. (As hotel operators) we are not worried and don't feel that it will impact our business," said Arie Ermawati, manager of Bali's Oberoi Hotel.

Currently, Indonesia bans adultery but not premarital sex. The new criminal code says such activity can only be reported by limited parties, such as a spouse, parent or child.

Foreign arrivals in Bali are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels of 6 million by 2025, the tourism association said previously.

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2022-12-07 14:13:00Z
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Solve problems affecting the people, PM Anwar tells his Cabinet - The Star Online

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Solve problems affecting the people, PM Anwar tells his Cabinet  The Star OnlineView Full coverage on Google News
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2022-12-07 10:36:00Z
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What expats and tourists need to know about new sex laws in Indonesia - The Straits Times

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s new criminal code outlawing sex outside marriage and potentially curbing free speech will apply to citizens and foreigners in the country, spurring uncertainty among tourists and expatriates.

Critics have said that the new laws infringe on people’s personal lives and attempts to prevent criticism of the government, a setback for the country’s democracy that could mar its investment climate.

The law could also deter foreign travellers, which may undermine economic recovery in tourism-reliant places like Bali that are just rebounding since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Here’s what you need to know about the new laws:

What are the new rules on sex outside marriage?

Anyone engaged in sex outside marriage may face up to one year in prison or fines. Anyone cohabiting as husband and wife outside marriage may face up to six months in prison. In both cases, the police can prosecute people only based on official complaints made by their parent, child or spouse. 

Does the new code outlaw sex work?

The code does not specify sex work but the ban on extramarital sex would effectively make sex work or prostitution illegal.

What about LGBTQ relationships?

The code would effectively criminalise LGBTQ relationships. The government does not recognise same-sex marriages, so any sexual activity between people of the same gender would be considered extramarital.

When will the new criminal code come into effect?

There will be a three-year transition period until the law is fully in place, as the government must draft the implementing regulation. Now that Parliament has passed the Bill, the next step is for President Joko Widodo – better known as Jokowi – to sign off. He is widely expected to approve it.

How strictly will the rules be enforced?

It is unclear whether couples travelling to Indonesia and staying in hotels will be scrutinised and penalised. Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej said that the authorities will act only if there is a complaint, and raids will not be carried out. The criminal code recognises “living laws”, which includes the strict syariah legislation, which means local governments across 34 provinces can enact their own laws based on the criminal code.

Will the law be enforced in Bali?

The criminal code applies to the entire country, including Bali, but each province can enforce its own laws based on the code. The new laws could become controversial there, given the island’s reliance on tourism.

What other contentious laws are in the new code?

Foreigners could run afoul of other provisions in the criminal code. It penalises people who insult the president, vice-president and the government. The code also punishes abortion but makes exceptions for medical emergencies or rape.

How strong is the opposition to the code?

Small protests have already taken place in capital city Jakarta. Civil rights organisations are planning to file a legal challenge to the constitutional court. When Parliament introduced its first draft of the Bill in 2019, days of violent demonstrations erupted, prompting Mr Widodo to delay the legislation in order to get more feedback from the public. BLOOMBERG

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2022-12-07 08:01:19Z
1669696513

Xi's Riyadh Trip Showcases Deeper China-Mideast Ties, and Sinking US Relations - Bloomberg

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1. Xi's Riyadh Trip Showcases Deeper China-Mideast Ties, and Sinking US Relations  Bloomberg
2. China's Xi visiting Saudi Arabia amid bid to boost economy  CNA
3. Xi heads to Riyadh in boost for China’s ties with the Middle East  South China Morning Post
4. Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman Should Speak Truth to China's Xi on Uyghurs  Bloomberg
5. China's Xi is expected in Riyadh as the Middle East looks beyond America  The Straits Times
6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2022-12-07 05:29:00Z
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China announces nationwide loosening of COVID-19 restrictions - CNA

Rare demonstrations against the ruling Communist Party's zero-COVID strategy broke out across China late last month.

They expanded into calls for more political freedoms, with some even calling for President Xi Jinping to resign.

Authorities cracked down on subsequent efforts to protest while easing a number of restrictions, with some Chinese cities tentatively rolling back mass testing and curbs on movement.

The capital Beijing, where many businesses have fully reopened, said this week that commuters were no longer required to show a negative virus test taken within 48 hours to use public transport.

Financial hub Shanghai - which underwent a brutal two-month lockdown this year - announced the same rules, with residents able to enter outdoor venues such as parks and tourist attractions without a recent test.

And once dominated by doom and gloom coverage of the dangers of the virus and scenes of pandemic chaos abroad, China's tightly controlled media dramatically shifted its tone to support a tentative move away from zero-COVID.

The prevalent Omicron strain is "not at all like last year's Delta variant", Guangzhou-based medicine professor Chong Yutian said in an article published by the Communist Party-run China Youth Daily.

"After infection with the Omicron variant, the vast majority will have no or light symptoms, and very few will go on to have severe symptoms, this is already widely known," he assured readers.

But analysts at Japanese firm Nomura on Monday calculated that 53 cities - home to nearly a third of China's population - still had some restrictions in place.

Wednesday's announcement came hours after the government released further data showing the crippling economic impacts of zero-COVID.

Imports and exports plunged in November to levels not seen since early 2020.

Imports in November fell 10.6 per cent year-on-year, the biggest drop since May 2020, according to the General Administration of Customs. Exports fell 8.7 per cent over the same period.

For nearly three years, China has managed COVID-19 as a dangerous disease on par with bubonic plague and cholera, but since last week, top officials have acknowledged the reduced ability of the new coronavirus to cause disease while Chinese experts suggested it is not more deadly than seasonal influenza.

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2022-12-07 06:03:00Z
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Nostalgia over Jiang Zemin's legacy a 'barbed critic' of China under Xi Jinping: Observers - CNA

Jiang, who died at the age of 96 on Nov 30, came to power in the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square incident and led the world's most populous nation into the new millennium, towards its emergence as a global powerhouse.

ENDURING LEGACY

The former Chinese leader is “ironically” remembered “by contrast with the recent period” under President Xi, said Dr John Delury, professor of Chinese Studies at the Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies.

“It actually seemed like a much looser, less restrictive and a much more open China in the Jiang period,” said Dr Delury, referring to the period from the 1990s to the early 2000s.

He called the period “a peak of contemporary China really embracing the world”, with its joining of the World Trade Organisation, and winning the hosting rights to global sporting events like the Olympics.

“I think there's a broader sort of cultural moment,” said Dr Delury. “It's a period of Chinese history where maybe, under the party leadership, there's the most momentum in terms of China joining the world.”

Jiang had also continued his predecessor Deng Xiaoping’s plan of opening China up to the world, bringing in unprecedented levels of foreign direct investment, said Associate Professor John Donaldson from the Singapore Management University’s School of Social Sciences.

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2022-12-06 11:41:00Z
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Don't challenge me: Malaysia PM Anwar tells Muhyiddin over alleged government contract breaches - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has warned his predecessor, Mr Muhyiddin Yassin, against challenging him to reveal alleged procedural breaches in the awarding of government contracts while the latter was in office.

He was responding to remarks by Mr Muhyiddin, who stated on Monday (Dec 5) that he was not afraid to be investigated after police reports were lodged against him for allegedly embezzling government funds of RM600 billion (USD137 billion) meant for managing the COVID-19 pandemic during his tenure as prime minister. 

Mr Anwar was quoted by Malay Mail as saying on Tuesday: “I want to remind Muhyiddin not to challenge (me) because it is evident there are processes and procedures that were not followed.”

He stated that there were “tens of billions” of ringgit allocated by Mr Muhyiddin’s government that had violated existing rules and procedures. There were even companies with vested interests involving familial links, the new prime minister added. 

Mr Anwar, however, did not elaborate on the companies and the nature of the business they were involved in. 

He was quoted as saying by the Star: "They are not (clean), as it was found that there were approvals done without following the regulations.

"This includes approvals made during the movement control order." 

The movement control order (MCO) was implemented under Mr Muhyiddin’s administration to manage the spread of COVID-19. It included lockdowns and restrictions on social gatherings, among others. 

On Monday, Mr Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said he was informed by his ministry that there had been several procedural breaches during the PN administration, according to Malay Mail. 

This came after the allegations of misappropriation of RM600 billion in funds by Mr Muhyiddin’s administration for COVID-19 funds.

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2022-12-06 09:43:00Z
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