Padang – President Joko Widodo has officially ratified the new Criminal Code (KUHP) to become a Law (UU).
The new Criminal Code consists of 37 chapters, 624 articles and 345 pages which are divided into two parts, namely the articles and explanatory sections.
In a socialization event for the New Criminal Code held by MAHUPIKI in Padang-West Sumatra, Wednesday (11/1/2023). Dr. Yenti Garnasih mentioned several advantages of the new Criminal Code which are in accordance with the values and current conditions of Indonesian society.
“There are 17 excellences, now we are no longer books I, II, and III, but only books I and II. Book I is a general provision, book II is a crime,” said Dr. Yenti in Padang City.
Dr. Yenti Garnasih also stated that the principle of balance is also contained in the new Criminal Code where the new Criminal Code will emphasize the justice side.
“Criminal law is for protection or to protect the state, society and individuals,” said Dr. Yenti Garnasih.
Apart from that, the new Criminal Code is an open recodification of all criminal provisions and is also able to respond to all developments in today’s society.
“This open and limited recodification of criminal law is relevant to the growth of criminal law outside the Criminal Code,” said MAHUPIKI chairman Yenti Ganarsih.
The newly promulgated Criminal Code will replace the Penal Code inherited from the Dutch colonial government. This new Criminal Code is very reformative, progressive, and also responsive to the current situation in Indonesia.
Still at the same socialization event, Semarang State University Professor Prof. Dr. R Benny Riyanto, SH, M.Hum., said that the Criminal Code has just experienced a paradigm shift from justice that is retributive to corrective, restorative and rehabilitative.
“The development of national and international criminal law has seen a shift in the paradigm of justice, what used to be justice that was sought was retributive justice or revenge justice, but this shift has become what seeks corrective justice for perpetrators, restorative for victims, and rehabilitative for both victims and perpetrators,” said Prof. Benny.
In addition, Professor of Criminal Law from the University of Indonesia (UI), Prof. Harkristuti Harkrisnowo, SH, MA, Ph.D., said that the new Criminal Code has several changes where the new changes are in accordance with Indonesia’s noble cultural values.
“There were 4 (four) articles that were later dropped from the Criminal Code Bill relating to doctors or dentists who didn’t have permits, the second was about the homeless, the third was related to fraudulent advocates, and then about poultry,” he said in the outreach.