Sukabumi, West Java (Antara) - Indonesia's National Commission on Child Protection (Komnas PA) has called for meting out stern punishment, including castration, to sexual predators, similar to what is followed in several other countries. "The current law on child protection carries a relatively light punishment with a maximum sentence of only 15 years in jail. In several cases, the perpetrators have even been released. This has made us very concerned over the condition of child protection in our country," Komnas PA Chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait informed Antara here on Tuesday. Arist's statement came following appalling reports of child sexual assaults being committed at the Jakarta International School, and later, in Sukabumi, West Java, recently. Arist pointed out that several countries, such as Turkey, Korea, China, and others in Asia, as well as Europe have already implemented the castration policy. He remarked that in the last four years, Komnas PA has notified the government and informed the House of Representatives regarding the importance of amending the current law due to its lenience. He categorically voiced his opinion about extending the minimum sentence for sexual predators to 20 years, while castration should be ordered as the maximum sentence. In his viewpoint, chemical castration must be ordered for adults who are repeat sex offenders and have preyed on several victims. Arist stated that he was highly concerned about the country's law on child protection, while rampant pedophilia cases have become a major concern in the international community. "Due to leniency in law, Indonesia has become a haven for pedophiles," he pointed out. He hoped that the case of Emon, who had sodomized more than 50 children in Sukabumi, will strike a chord among all parties regarding the importance of meting severe punishment to offenders so that they repent their deplorable acts and deter would-be predators. (*)

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