Indonesians are worried that ‘banning sex outside marriage’ can scare tourists away

What happened: On December 6, Indonesia’s parliament approved a new criminal code that punishes sex outside marriage with up to a year in prison, despite concerns that the laws will deter tourists and harm investment. The law: The new code, which will apply to both Indonesians and foreigners, also prohibits unmarried couples ‘cohabiting.’ It will also prohibit insulting the president or state institutions, spreading anti-state ideology, and staging protests without prior notice. All political parties voted in favour of the legislation. The tourism ministry: However, the code will not go into effect for three years to allow for the development of implementing regulations. Maulana Yusran, the deputy chief of Indonesia’s tourism industry board says the new code is “totally counter-productive” at a time when the economy and tourism are beginning to recover from the pandemic.