and if idont want to? A new law in Indonesia prohibits sex before marriage even for tourists! - Walla! tourism

Tourists on the beaches of Bali, Indonesia (YOUTUBE)

So it is true that the Israelis are not (yet) flocking to Indonesia, but the following news will certainly not please the tourists of the world who do: the parliament in the Muslim country approved this week (Tuesday) a new law that prohibits having sex for unmarried couples.

The law states that this is a criminal offense punishable by up to a year in prison.

While the state already prohibits adultery, the new law - passed with the support of all political parties - will also include having sex before marriage.

The law will apply to both locals and foreigners, and will also prohibit cohabitation between unmarried couples.

However, the new laws will not come into effect for the next three years, to allow for the drafting of its implementing regulations.

The Euronews website reports that the reaction to the law among the country's residents was mixed, and several demonstrations were held in the capital Jakarta immediately after its approval.

In 2018, the island's governing council discussed the possibility of enacting a law that would ban tourists from posing in bikinis or immodest clothing in front of temples.

According to the amendment to the planned law, tourists will be prevented from entering the temples in Bali at all, unless they are accompanied by a guide. In addition, dress codes will be established that those who cross them will not be allowed to approach the holy places.

Will the tourists disappear from the tropical beaches?

Vacation on the island of Bali (Photo: ShutterStock, SunnyDays)

Lawmakers defended their action - decades in the making - by citing the fact that it was a necessary overhaul of antiquated colonial laws.

"The old law belongs to the Dutch heritage... and it is no longer relevant now," said Bambang Voriento, head of the parliamentary committee responsible for revising the law.

However, several newspapers and personalities who oppose the law have rejected this claim.

According to them, this is part of the process of eroding civil liberties in the country, which is considered the third largest democracy in the world.

Other laws enacted in Indonesia prohibit witchcraft for negative purposes (black magic), insulting the president or state institutions, spreading opinions against the state's ideology, and holding demonstrations without prior notice.

The daily Koran Tempo claimed that the new law had "authoritarian" characteristics, while the Jakarta Post expressed "serious concerns".

Indonesia's tourism industry managers also expressed reservations about the new law.

Tourism officials express concern that the new ban could keep tourists away from the country's tropical beaches, which are considered quite popular among visitors from around the world.

All this, against the background of the fact that Indonesia is recovering from the effects of the Corona epidemic and is even trying to attract "digital nomads" (tourists who stay in certain destinations and work from them using their laptops) by offering a visa that is more flexible than the usual tourist visa.

"We are very sorry that the government has turned a blind eye. We have already expressed our concern to the Ministry of Tourism about the damage of this law," said Maulana Yosaran, deputy head of Indonesia's tourism board.

Albert Arias, a spokesman for Indonesia's Ministry of Justice, claimed that the new law "will protect the institution of marriage and Indonesian values, as well as the privacy of the community."

It should be noted that already in 2019, the Indonesian government planned to pass an update of the criminal law, but it was blocked by demonstrations held throughout the country.

Since then, lawmakers have softened some of the provisions, while President Joko Widodo is calling on parliament to pass the bill this year, ahead of presidential elections scheduled for early 2024.

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