JAKARTA – The Indonesian government will soon issue a regulation in lieu of law (perppu) on sexual violence against children imposing maximum sentences of 20 years imprisonment plus additional harsh punishments of chemical castration and chip implants, a minister says.

“The perppu will be issued soon. It is the commitment of the president, who believes that sexual violence is an extraordinary crime and the punishment should be a deterrent,” said coordinating human development and culture minister Maharani in Jakarta on Wednesday.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said on Tuesday that sexual abuses should be categorised as extraordinary crimes and, therefore, there should be an extraordinary effort to fight against them.

He stressed the need to intensify coordination between relevant institutions, including the police and the Attorney General’s Office, to address the issue, which came into the spotlight following the gang rape and murder of a 14-year-old student in a remote village in Bengkulu in early April by 14 young men.

The plan to issue a government regulation in lieu of law was announced after the House of Representatives declared itself reluctant to deliberate over a bill to prevent such crimes, arguing that the lawmakers are still busy with other “urgent bills”.

Speaking to journalists after attending a limited Cabinet meeting at the State Palace on Wednesday, the minister also said that the names of sexual abuse convicts would be made public.

Meanwhile, chips could be implanted in convicts’ bodies so that their whereabouts can be continuously monitored, he added.

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly added that the imposition of additional punishments would be decided by a judge, who would consider each sexual violence case, as well as the psychiatric conditions of the perpetrators.

“If he psychologically has a tendency to be a paedophile, he will be given a castration punishment,” he said, adding that if the perpetrator was underage, the penalty imposed would be half of the applicable maximum penalty, 10 years.

Indonesian Child Protection Commission ( KPAI ) chairman Asrorun Ni’am Sholeh said it was urgent to put the additional punishment into place, given the increasingly widespread cases of sexual violence against children.

BANGKOK – A minor explosion inside Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Thailand’s capital Bangkok on Wednesday (May 11) wounded two people, although the police played it down, calling it an accident.

However, the country’s National Security Council (NSC) expressed concern over the blast.

“Although it was a small incident, we didn’t overlook it. No matter what caused it, we will have to find out what it was,” said General Taweep Netrniyom, secretary-general of the NSC.

The news was reported to the NSC’s meeting at Government House by deputy national police chief Sriwarah Rangsitpramkul.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who ordered police to reveal to the public full details even though the blast was small-scale.

Gen Sriwarah told reporters there was no bomb and no attack.

There was only a bit of gunpowder left inside a bottle that was discarded at a garbage site.

Someone happened to pick up the bottle to use as an ashtray.

The person who threw the bottle away has been found and interrogated.

It was learnt that the incident was not politically motivated, he added.