Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
INDONESIA WILL BEGIN chemically castrating convicted paedophiles in an effort to combat child sex abuse, an official said, after a string of high-profile attacks.
“(It) will make people think a thousand times before committing such crimes,” Attorney-General Muhammad Prasetyo said late Tuesday after the move was agreed at a cabinet meeting led by President Joko Widodo.
“This crime is extraordinary and there have been so many victims.”
He said the punishment would be authorised soon through a presidential directive, which means it will automatically become law without parliament having to vote on it.
It would be carried out by injecting paedophiles with female hormones, he said.
Indonesia joins a small group of places that use chemical castration against child sex offenders, including Poland and some states in the US. In 2011, South Korea became the first Asian country to legalise the punishment.
Indonesia has been shocked by a series of high-profile child sex attacks. The most recent case was the kidnap, rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl.
Her body was discovered stuffed in a cardboard box in the capital Jakarta earlier this month, and an autopsy revealed that she had been repeatedly sexually assaulted.
Under current laws, child sex abuse is punishable by 15 years in jail but in many cases paedophiles have been handed short sentences.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
He’s not wrong about small countries counting for little, both ourselves and Greece were treated disgracefully to protect the interests of the big boys during the financial crisis.
@Liam Doyle: why would Britain then leave? They’ll become a small country the moment they do
@Liam Doyle: Those were locally created problems. Did you expect other countries to bail us out indefinitely?
Are you suggesting we bail Italy out indefinitely?
No – you’re not.
So why are you pinning that rubbish on the EU?
He couldn’t care less for any country or anyone else but himself.
@Chucky Arlaw: what’s the point in Britain staying? Once they stayed out of the single currency, very sensibly so as it’s transpired, they’ve been largely sidetracked in the EU. Makes more sense to be outside completely with a trade deal than remaining a semi member of the club.
@Liam Doyle: please give some facts. Ireland are Greece were reckless and it was not due to the EU. We got caught out same as Greece. The problems in Ireland are home grown.
@Danny Rafferty: they weren’t locally created problems. Interest rates were kept far too low for some of the peripheral economies due to Germany and France’s weaker economic growth. This was predicted when the Euro was designed, but nothing put in place to deal with it. Result of excessively cheap cash was bubble like growth and inevitable crash which wouldn’t have happened if not for the poorly designed euro.
@Liam Doyle: Nobody held a gun to Irish people’s heads and forced them to borrow just because interests rates were low.
We need to take responsibility for our own actions instead of constantly trying to blame others.
@Liam Doyle: Finance and taxes are local competencies. The banks were meant to be governed by the central bank of Ireland.
Why did other countries manage the credit boom much better?
Why couldn’t the Greeks tax appropriately?
Trying to lay this at the door of the EU is weak.
@Ricky Spanish: so why have base interest rates at all? People respond to incentives, if you make money very cheap to borrow then people buy today instead of save for tomorrow. Interest rates were kept too low for our economy (just like they are again now) to protect the interests of others. This will keep happening because they have no mechanisms in place to deal with this still and we have cost alignment with non EU economies. The EU has French and German interests at heart, we’re just an afterthought.
@Chucky Arlaw: As it now stands Britain due to leaving the Eu a major building contractor has gone to the wall Is this the start of the decline in jobs in Britain and what else is around the corner
@Danny Rafferty: you avoided even addressing what I said about interest rates, now that’s weak!
@Liam Doyle: Can you imagine what would have happened to Ireland if we still had the punt during the collapse? We would have been bringing barrow loads of cash to buy a loaf of bread, It’s only that the value of the Euro is spread across so many economies that we had any sort of stability at all
@Liam Doyle:
Yeah, an absolute disgrace. They loaned us money to repay our debts. We should have told them to take a hike and let the country go bust.
@Francis Devenney: the Euro caused the crash Francis, and youre praising it’s impact on limiting the damage it caused? It’s happening again right now as we plod through yet another inevitable currency crisis in the zone. Haven’t you noticed prices increasing across the board while incomes stagnate? ECB working its magic again!
@Liam Doyle: “the Euro caused the crash” Nonsense
@Francis Devenney: wow, such a well thought out rebuttal Francis, you have obviously researched these matters in some debt and haven’t just mindlessly parroted whatever media sources have told you think with regards to our persistent currency crises.
@Liam Doyle: Such a spurious argument doesn’t require well thought out rebuttal
@Francis Devenney: spurious argument being that interest rates impact money supply and thus economic growth? Think you’ll find that’s an established fact Francis. Your inability to defend your positions and beliefs is entertainingly pathetic though.
@Liam Doyle: Are you seriously blaming the economic crash in Ireland solely on low interest rates? I’m sorry but that is the most simplistic argument I’ve seen on here in quite awhile.
@Ricky Spanish: did I say solely? It was primarily caused by excess money supply, same as spiralling costs across the board now is primarily caused by excess money supply. A lot of you seem determined to avoid addressing that, is it because you can’t?
@Liam Doyle: Your idea of research: Watch youtube, read rants, listen to liars like Farage.
The crash happened because of the reckless lending policies of our banks, the government who turned a blind eye, and the developers who failed spectacularily in both foresight and business.
The banks invested their long term ‘secure’ investments in property, and their short term investments in properties. When the property market collapsed, almost all investments failed. Add to that that it was far too easy to get a mortgage that people would not be able to pay back from the start.
Then we have the lax laws in Ireland which allowed the developers to close their company as they were not able to pay back the debt they accumulated, and just opened another company in the same business.
The Euro saved Ireland from going bankrupt completely, and is now even allowing people own and purchase property. If our currency would have failed, all your life savings would be used to buy some food for the week. And you would have to do it fast as your money will be worthless next week due to inflation rates.
Offering low rates does not cause a recession. Infact, low rates were offered by the ECB after the recession to aid in recovery.
@Francis Devenney: we should never had joined the Euro.
@Liam Doyle: Greece reaped what they sowed.
@Liam Doyle: Recession caused by excess money supply? Really? It is the opposite that is true.
@Nick Allen: Ireland were under no obligation to pay the senior bondholders and the government were advised of this by the NTMA. However, the ECB blocked attempts by Ireland to burn senior bondholders, through financial blackmail. Costing Ireland at the very least €9 billion.
@Andy K: But the reckless lending practices even you admit was the starting point was directly caused by ECB policy. The idea the Euro stopped us going completely bust is incredibly disjointed thinking, if we hadn’t been in the Euro that excess money supply wouldn’t have existed in the first place (where would it have come from?) so property etc. could never have gotten so expensive.
The starting point will always be the excess money supply, even in your wall of text trying to deny that you admit that it’s fact.
@Andy K: bubble caused by excess money supply, bubbles inevitably burst which leads to recession. Same thing happened in Japan in the 80s, Germany in the 20s, Holland in the 17th century etc. If you think otherwise you’re just wrong in afraid.
@Liam Doyle: And what caused the “excess money supply” in your view? Btw you are yet to explain how Irish people were forced to run up unsustainable debts or explain why the govt was forced to run up a massive current budget deficit. Who forced them to lower taxes and raise spending exactly? Someone in the ECB I’m sure as they seem to be the cause of all our problems right?
Ah the usual childish bickering from the journal snowflakes
@Ricky Spanish: honestly? Economics obviously isn’t your thing if you can’t even understand what excess money supply means. Shouldn’t talk about things you don’t understand, makes you appear foolish.
@Liam Doyle: true , but it wasn’t Europe that issued bank guarantees bailed out Anglo and didn’t want to burn bond holders – that was Ireland ! We managed to screw up a whole bunch of stuff all by ourselves / you don’t need to go finger pointing to the big boys in Europe mate we are well capable to screwing our own people many times over in Ireland with or with out European big boys
@Dave Hammond: the letter where Trichet commanded us to bail out the banks has been published, so yes responsibility for that sits with ECB too.
@Liam Doyle: I have a masters degree in economics so I feel I have a decent understanding. Are you going to address the points about the current budget deficit or are you just going to regurgitate phrases like “excess money supply” and throw around insults?
@Ricky Spanish: if you have to ask where an excess money supply came from then you don’t have a masters in economics. That’s covered in leaving cert economics. The rest of your questions are equally as pointless and mundane as your first, you’re applying microeconomic theories and principles to macroeconomic matters, further revealing your lack of economic understanding, and dare I say, qualification.
@Liam Doyle: No one disagrees that the interest rates were too low for our economy: that was well known even at the time.
But just because the supermarket halves the price of lemons doesn’t mean I can blow the next year’s wages on gin and tonic and then blame the supermarket manager.
Sorry, your argument is still lacking.
@Danny Rafferty: applying microeconomic principles to macroeconomic matters is just wrong. economies don’t act the same way as households. Your inability to grasp and understand these pretty basic realities does not mean my argument is lacking, it just means your understanding is lacking.
@Liam Doyle: Firstly I was asking for your understanding of excess money supply as to be frank I doubt your understanding of basic economics.
Secondly the current budget deficit is not microeconomic theory it is macroeconomics.
But putting all that aside my point which I have repeatedly made and which you have repeatedly failed to address is that your entire argument seems to be based on failures of monetary policy. You have completely ignored fiscal policy as a key determinant of economic performance. My suspicion is that this is based not only out of your own ignorance but also by a political belief rather than economic theory. It is always easier to blame others rather than take responsibility ourselves and the EU is a prime target for people with a political agenda.
@Liam Doyle: It’s called Analogy Liam and you still haven’t explained why corruption and lack of governance in Ireland is the EU’s fault just because they lowered interest rates. Your argument is still not convincing.
@Ricky Spanish: but I havent said a single thing against the EU, every criticism I’ve made has been of the ECB. That you so easily conflate the two is a large part of the reason the UK is leaving the EU IMHO. And our fiscal policy certainly played it’s part I agree, particularly some of the tax breaks offered on property fanned the flames, but monetary policy from the ECB was the ignition spark without which there’d have been few flames to fan.
@Danny Rafferty: it’s called a wrong analogy Danny. You cannot apply microeconomic principles on a macro level. Your analogy is based on the principle of linear liquidity flows which is what we all experience on the micro level, but liquidity flows at the macro level are circular. The scenarios are simply not comparable in any way. Until you can properly understand that you won’t understand the impact monetary policies have on economies.
@Liam Doyle: might I suggest you read back on some of your earlier posts when you described us as an “afterthought” to the EU.
Also I’d love to know how conflating the EU and the ECB contributed to the UKs decision to leave as they are not under the remit of the ECB.
Whilst I would strongly criticize the ECB for its attitude towards burning bondholders, I think it’s a bit much to blame them for pursuing a monetary policy that was broadly in line with the policies of other major central banks around the world because it resulted in excess borrowing in Ireland.
Again nobody forced Irish people/business/govt to borrow or ignore the warnings issued by the ECB and EU in the years leading up to the crash.
@Andy K: Where do you get your information from? MSN? I have watched and listened to Nigel Farage debating several times in the European parliament, and on several political shows, he does not rant. The man is brilliant, i have heard no other politician speak like him, you can’t stand him because he speaks the truth. He is an English patriot, and millions of English people are very proud of him.
@Liam Doyle: Nice try Liam. Noticed you completely avoided the corruption and governance issues. I think you’ll find the Central bank should have been competent with regard to the local governance and that the management of our banks didn’t really care about the characterisation of the liquidity flows. But you stick with criticising my analogy – I’m sure you’ll convince thousands.
On the other hand, I think people well understand that you need to be responsible with how you run your own affairs regardless of the credit conditions.
Now, there are some lemons, tonic and gin with my name on them.
Happy weekend.
@James Mc Loughlin: whats around the corner is mother of all foocing crashes which will make 2008 look like a minor hiccup.
24 to 30 months maximum before it hits us.
@Liam Doyle: Agreed but that was largely the ECB, an independent entity, rather than the political EU institutions.
- “small countries normally count for nothing”
Cheers Nige, thanks for pointing out why we’re in the EU.
@Mick Tobin:
If events of the last decade should have taught us anything it’s that even as an EU member, small countries still count for nothing in the eyes of the Germany-France axis.
We of all people should know that.
@Walt Jabsco: the bank guarantee screwed us. Unfortunately FF didn’t realize that our economic crisis was an opportunity and at that point we were in the driving seat of the Eurozone economy. Had we insisted the banks be economically autonomous, European Central Bank would have provided guarantee. In effect Ireland saved the euro but we have never capitalized on our central role in this. In reality Ireland’s economy was central to eu but our mindset and confidence was peripheral.
He is right about our politicians self harming our country for the interests of EU elites.
@Ian Oh: Proof please?
@Ian Oh: No he isn’t.
@Ian Oh: In reality he is attempting to harm the UK economy for his own personal benefit.
@Danny Rafferty: Look around you, except of course if you are one of elite who live in gated communities, or exclusive addresses.
@Tom&Gerry: Bit of a Mickey Mouse response Tom&Gerry.
@Danny Rafferty: Yes, but very true.
He is definitely right.the Irish lived on fear from politicians
@Danny Rafferty: You really are obsessed, Danny. You go on as though you’re some kind of hero for apparently using your real name. I think it’s a very foolish thing to do. There are a lot of very unhinged, malicious and vindictive people on the internet. Let’s imagine for a second that you got into some kind of exchange with one of them and they decided to do something to get at you. It wouldn’t be very hard to do some digging and find out where you work, through LinkedIn or FB, whatever. Suppose they sent an anonymous letter to your employer, claiming to be a relative who you had repeatedly molested while babysitting them when they were younger (or some other such evil scheme). I don’t see the harm in choosing to protect one’s identity online.
@Boutros Boutros-Ghali: Paranoia.
@Danny Rafferty: Perhaps a little, but I’d prefer to be safe than sorry. What about your own obsessive behaviour; that’s not a very healthy mindset either. It’s actually a bit unsettling.
@Boutros Boutros-Ghali: Wow. They removed my post because I called a bot a coward.
Maybe they are happy to have baseless tripe go unchallenged.
@Danny Rafferty: Maybe they’re beginning to implement their comments policy fairly. Or maybe they’re as sick of you spamming the forum with “anonymous/fake account” guff as I am.
@Boutros Boutros-Ghali: Now that’s not very Boutros Boutros of you. Maybe they think it’s too direct. How about dotard?
Would you be dreadfully offended if I called you an anonymous dotard Boutros?
@Danny Rafferty: It wouldn’t bother me at all. It would make your behaviour look even more obsessive though.
He is realising that, if the UK got another chance to vote to leave the EEC, they will vote to stay in the EEC, because the English now realise what a big mistake they have made.
@James Moore: no they wouldn’t and no they haven’t.
@James Moore: Its EU not EEC and its not English it would be British, English refers only to England don’t forget the rest of the country, a common mistake made usually by English people.
And you are right they would vote yes especially when they realised all the lies told by Nigel and his followers.
Just look at what Nigel did when the vote was won – disappeared off the scene.
@James Moore: Parroting utter nonsense doesn’t make it true. Britain will leave the EU despite what desperate Irish eunionists would like to believe.
@B9xiRspG: He always said he would. He had accomplished his goal to free Britain from the ball and chain of the EU. He has not gone anywhere though, he is staying to see this through. A good decent politician, the world is sadly lacking in honest politicians who care for their own people, the people that they are governing, a fine patriotic English man.
@James Moore: EEC its a long time gone. You need to get back in your time capsule
@Tom&Gerry: yes the UK will be free of all the social laws that stifle business. Business will flourish without those meddling Eurocrats and their working time directives and environmental protections damn them. Free to be in the Iron Grip of capitalism.
This guy is so good at pushing people’s buttons espeically in Ireland. I had a lot of respect for him once…. then he achieved the YES vote, and immediately stood back to let someone else clean up the mess.
@Ray Mullins: but what else can he do, he’s not elected in the UK. All he can do is shout in Brussels.
@Gav Quinn: No one forced him to step down as leader of UKIP.
@Ray Mullins: Wrong, he is still there, and won’t be going anywhere until Brexit is a done deal.
@Tom&Gerry: wrong he has no status in uk politics people wheel him out because he’s good for a laugh his comments are a joke and not based on any reality. He can say what he likes because he doesn’t have to actually achieve anything nor could he. He’s a caricature of the type of brainless idiot whose stories are funny but not to be taken seriously by anyone with any sense. Even he doesn’t believe what he says.
He quoted some incorrect figures during that debate – not unusual for UK politicians.
He pretends to be concerned for the independence of small countries, once they’re not called Scotland.
He believes the United States of Europe is a bad idea, even though no proposals have been put forward.
And has no issues sucking up to a highly militarised USA.
Farage – cherrypicker extraordinaire.
@Danny Rafferty: Christian Schulz put proposals for a United States of Europe forward. Guess it’s not just British politicians that lie when the truth is uncomfortable, eh Danny?
@Liam Doyle: Interesting..aren’t we in that of our own volition already…and what is wrong with it?
@Pat Aherne: no we’re not. He wants constitutional uniformity across the EU by 2025 and any states that reject it to be immediately thrown out of the EU. Tired this about 15 years back, overwhelmingly rejected by the French and Dutch electorates.
@Liam Doyle: I’m very comfortable thank you.
Did you mean Martin Schulz?
The leader of the SPD?
A party with 20% of the vote?
Well it’s a perfectly valid opinion to hold and he can push for adopting such a policy democratically he likes. So what?
Is it being discussed by the Commission or Parliament?
Is there actually a documented proposal that we can debate Liam?
Do send me a link to the documents so I can see if the sky is in fact falling.
If a serious proposal does actually arrive before the parliament or commission I’ll be happy to read and debate it then.
@Danny Rafferty: Yes he is wonderful, is he not. I get great enjoyment watching him put Eurocrats in their place in the European parliament, if only we had a an honest decent man like him who actually speaks the truth.
@Tom&Gerry: except he doesn’t. Would you enjoy me working along side you in your job and calling you lazy meanwhile doing little work myself ? That’s you type of guy you admire?
He is so like the melting nazi at the end of Raiders of the Lost Arc
@danny: Pity he doesn’t melt away for good.
@JJ: why is getting so much air time on Irish tv??? He accused Ireland of hurting itself! Eh, pot meet kettle?
@danny: ‘Farage is a nazi/fascist’ yawn…
@Deborah Behan: He’s very popular, in England, across Europe and the US. The difference between Farage and Varadaker is, Farage actually loves his country and people and does not want to see England destroyed, Varadaker only cares for himself. England are doing the right thing by leaving the EU, They voted for it and they know exactly what they are doing.
@Valthebear: so which is he? As they are two very different things
@John Moynihan: Neither. Its a standard anti Farage slur on social media
Farage is a little englander who is well past his sell by date,he has managed single handedly to divide his own people .
@Anthony Gallagher: And damage the UK far more than all of the terrorist attacks they have suffered since the end of WWII. What a patriot.
@Anthony Gallagher:
He’s an objectionable dolt – of that there’s little doubt – but I think history will be quite kind to him as one of the few voices warning of the creeping slide towards a European superstate.
@Walt Jabsco: An European Superstate…of which we will be part?
Congrats. Even the EU haven’t projected that far ahead…..but it sounds great…a world leader…a “super state”.
@Anthony Gallagher: What exactly is a little englander?, sounds like something a kid would say, but i do get it, it is your way of trying to demoralize him. The vote was put to the people, the people voted because of what they see happening to their country. The main reason for Brexit is the migrant crisis. The majority of people want no more migrants coming into their country. People like you would have called those who objected to the invasion of migrants, racist, xenophobes and other such stupid names, this is meant to shut people up. Farage is not like you, he told the truth. He told the people they had a right to be outraged at what was happening to their country, and he was right, an awful pity we dont have an honest one like him. Well done England .
@Tom&Gerry: hatred of people not like you what’s the definition of that then Tom ?
@Jas: no idea what you meant, maybe you would like to explain.
@Pat Aherne:
FCO30/1048
But HE sowed the seed last week when he said he was confident “Yes” would win again if there was a 2nd referendum.
He must be feeling left out. Bless his little heart. Booted from the limelight takes its toll on worldwide trolls.
This guy is nothing but an opportunist hypocrite. Preying on people’s fears to make a name for himself at any cost. As the damage from brexit unfolds he will finally be held to account alongside the odious Michael Gove and the clown Doris Johnson.
@Marc Power: hahaha Clown Doris. Or Joris Bohnson.! Why not!? It’s Fridayyyy…
@Marc Power: Stupid stupid comment, Farage is brilliant, an amazing human being. More interested in his country and his people than profit, shame on you The fact that you have to call people clowns who have an opposing view than you speaks volumes about you.
He’s desperate to define the debate as one between remaining and a hard brexit – that’s what this new referendum will be about. Too many people realising that a soft brexit is the only workable solution for Farage to be comfortable. He and his fellow followers need to see any bridges alight to count as a win
Follow the money, Who stands to benefit from the break up of trade blocks?
@Francis Devenney: Nige and his mates made plenty gambling on a falling pound right after the referendum.
@Danny Rafferty: Did he Danny? How exactly?
We all want, the EU and the UK is the UK to leave, but leave fast, but the UK is trying to buy time, because they don’t know what they are doing obviously.
The whole European debate is one that has many facets and a lot more complex then just “In” or “Out” – but it is interesting to see how Farage called him “a real smart cookie” when he met the man…..
What happened with our double vote is quite interesting and often forgotten, we voted “No” and went back to the negotiating table and the treaty was changed and we voted “Yes” then – while it was a re-run it was a changed treaty that we voted on. The UK could do the same, vote to Exit but if they are unable to negotiate a proper deal and the EU has changed some of it’s rules too then a re-run could produce a different result, particularly if the people of the UK see the real consequences of Brexit.
To be honest it would be quite reasonable to have a second referendum once they’ve ironed out exactly what terms Britain would be leaving the EU on. You’d expect all but the most hardline Leavers to be glad to accept or reject on the specifics of the deal.
hum !!??? could it be that as he says himself that he is skin .. if there is a 2nd referendum he will still be MEP and therefore well paid by the EU that he worked so hard to destroy ??
Himself, Gove and Johnston should be lambasted or jailed for deliberately misleading the public
@MarkS: explain how he misled the people. Taking into account the main reason for Brexit was the migrant situation, which the people are living with on a daily basis, they needed no one to make up their minds for them, stupid of you to think so.
@MarkS: don’t be ridiculous.
Like Ireland with Lisbon and Maastricht treaties…
Farage is all about independence and democracy….. as long as you’re English
@Ooby Dooby: What does your comment mean, of course Brexit was about independence, “as long as you’re English” explain?, is it not the English that want independence? A lot of people here are very envious, imagine, they can now govern themselves.
The UK isn’t just England Tom-ampersand-Gerry.
@Wastrel: it’s ALL that matters to 90% of the UK population the English that voted Brexit would live to get shot of the rest of the UK.
Flip-flopping just like Micheál Martin.
Please stop giving this pathetic, irrelevant, racist waster coverage.. The only person that cares about anything this POS says is him and a handful of window lickers.
@Jay Warner: You are very wrong, and your name calling is childish silly and pathetic. Nigel is very very popular in Ireland, England, across Europe and USA. He is an amazing individual, if only we had one like him here.
@Jay Warner: clueless patronising remark.
Didn’t he say last week that…. Oh never mind…. Talk about a slippery politician….
i really think that Ireland should have been asked to rejoin the UK before the referendum took place. With Ireland on board the UK would truly be united and be a formidable force.There also wouldn’t be any problems with borders as the EU territories would end at France, the waters around the UK would be reclaimed and interference from the EU need not be tolerated. So if there’s any talk of another referendum let it be one that unites us all against everything that the EU stands for and one that would liberate us all. Give the Irish people a vote
God forbid that we should be taking advice from the likes of Farage.
Farage is a London spiv we need him over here like a hole in the head
The muppet was on UK tv last week and stated a second referendum should be considered wtf!!
@Derek Teeling: Put it into context, he said, to shut Blair and the rest of the whingers up, who do not believe that people knew what they were doing when they voted, maybe just maybe there should be another referendum. He said that knowing that there will not be another referendum. Theresa May said the people have spoken and she will stand by the decision of the people. It is not nice to call people names especially people you don’t know, very childish of you.
There won’t be a 2nd referendum. Neither the PM or Corbyn want it, they’ve reiterated this a number of times. When neither of the two main parties want it, it won’t happen.
The UK leaves the EU in 14 months time, and that’s it. They will enter a transition period, and will have a framework for a trade agreement based on the Canadian model with a few add ons.
have your say