'Drunk-driving law not needed'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Should Indonesia introduce a tougher clause
\nagainst drunk-driving in its traffic law?<\/p>\n
A councilor, asked for his comment after the bus driver of the
\nill-fated Jaya Bakti Super intercity bus was found to be drunk
\nwhen he crashed the bus on Sunday, doesn't think so.<\/p>\n
\"It's not part of our culture to drink alcohol, so there is no
\nneed to issue a regulation on the maximum alcohol level permitted
\nfor a driver,\" Djafar Badjeber, a member of the City Council's
\nCommission B for economic affairs, said.<\/p>\n
In his opinion, \"drunk is drunk\".<\/p>\n
Article 23 of the 1992 Traffic Law simply states that drivers
\nare required to drive responsibly, and must therefore not be
\nunder the influence of alcohol or drugs while on the road.<\/p>\n
Violators can be punished with a maximum imprisonment term of
\nthree months, or fined Rp 3 million (US$1,016), very lenient
\npunishment by American and European standards, where drunk-
\ndriving is common.<\/p>\n
Unlike in the United States and many European countries, the
\nIndonesian law does not state the maximum level of alcohol a
\nperson is permitted to consume and still drive.<\/p>\n
Djafar said there was no need for Indonesia to review the 1992
\nlaw or to make it any tougher against drunk-driving.<\/p>\n
The law is already clear that drivers must not drink or eat
\nwhen they drive a vehicle, or be under the influence of any drugs
\nor alcohol, Djafar said.<\/p>\n
Police meanwhile said that the only thing they could do to
\ndiscourage drunk-driving among bus drivers was to raid kiosks
\nthat sell alcoholic drinks at bus terminals in the city.<\/p>\n
Police have never stopped raiding those places, Lt. Col. E.
\nAritonang, the Jakarta Police chief spokesman said.<\/p>\n
\"However, the raids have not been able to halt the
\ndistribution of alcoholic beverages in the city,\" Aritonang said.
\n(07\/cst)<\/p>",
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