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This study examines Law No 1 of 2023 concerning the Indonesian Criminal Code, mainly focusing on the provision regarding the insult of the President and/or Vice President in Article 218, paragraph 1. The research employs a normative juridical approach, explicitly analyzing the grammatical interpretation of the phrase "Degrading Act". The findings indicate that the "Degrading Act" encompasses actions that disrupt judicial processes, threaten judges, and insult the judiciary. This includes defacement, writing, drawing, or damaging national symbols, even when such actions deviate from their intended form, size, or colour. Notably, the study demonstrates that the categorization of the "Degrading Act" extends beyond mere legal definitions, encompassing considerations of societal propriety. By providing a comprehensive analysis of the legal and societal dimensions of insulting state leaders, this research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the evolving legal landscape in Indonesia. Furthermore, the study offers a clearer understanding of the legal aspects concerning insults towards state leaders and contributes to the changing legal landscape in Indonesia.

This article explores the qualification of bribery in the private sector as a criminal offence in Indonesia. No specific positive legal regulation can prosecute individuals involved in private-sector corruption, resulting in a legal vacuum. Criminal law must consider realising a just and prosperous society, and the costs of criminalizing such acts (bribery in the private sector) should be balanced with the outcomes to be achieved. Although Indonesia's Law on the Eradication of Corruption (Law No 31 of 1999, as amended by Law No 20 of 2001) lags and is not in line with the United Nations Convention against Corruption, Indonesia should align its national criminal law with UNCAC, particularly Article 21 of UNCAC. By introducing new concepts and formulating provisions regarding bribery in the private sector in the law on the Eradication of Corruption, as well as implementing the Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA), it is hoped that future cases of bribery in the private sector in Indonesia can be effectively addressed.