Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia officially enacted its new National Criminal Code (KUHP) and Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) on January 2, marking a major milestone in the comprehensive reform of the criminal justice system of Southeast Asia’s most populous nation.
The two new laws replace legal provisions that had been in place for decades, many of which originated in the colonial era and were widely criticised by experts and the public as outdated, rigid, and insufficiently reflective of modern rule-of-law values.
Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Coordinating Minister for Legal Affairs, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the promulgation of the new codes has definitively closed the chapter on Indonesia’s colonial-influenced criminal law system. He described the move as opening a new phase in law enforcement with a more modern and humane approach.
According to Yusril, the new Criminal Code places strong emphasis on a “restorative justice” approach, aiming to strike a balance between punishment and social reintegration. In addition to prison sentences, the law allows alternative measures such as community service, rehabilitation and mediation, providing greater flexibility in handling offences, particularly less serious cases.
Alongside this, the new Criminal Procedure Code strengthens regulations governing investigation and adjudication, tightens oversight mechanisms for law enforcement agencies, and enhances protections for the rights and interests of victims and witnesses. A notable feature of the new code is its encouragement of digital technology applications in criminal proceedings, with the aim of improving transparency and efficiency across the justice system.
Indonesian authorities expect the new legal framework to lay a solid foundation for a justice system that is fairer, more effective and better suited to the realities of modern society, while strengthening public trust in the rule of law./.
