Enforce bill on psychotropics, say councilors<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Councilors urged the immediate issuance of the
\nnecessary government regulations to enable the enforcement of the
\nnewly passed bill on psychotropics.<\/p>\n
The law endorsed on Jan. 27 enables the punishment of those
\nproved guilty of possessing, trafficking or producing Ecstasy
\nwith a maximum penalty of death. The long-awaited bill will
\nbecome law as soon as President Soeharto signs it.<\/p>\n
Outrage over the use of the drug became widespread following
\nthe arrests of several people alleged to have been selling or
\nusing Ecstasy. Jakarta and Tangerang are among the sites with the
\nmost reported arrests.<\/p>\n
Yesterday councilors repeated earlier views that the drugs
\nwould eventually destroy the nation's youth, as reports revealed
\nusers are mostly youngsters.<\/p>\n
\"Trafficking of the drug should amount to a subversive act\",
\nsaid H. Ronggo Sutrisno Thahir of the United Development Party
\n(PPP) faction. Sahala P. Sinaga of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI) faction, Abu Bakar of the ruling Golkar faction and
\nM. Rodja of the PPP faction, said nightspots were a haven for
\ndrug sellers.<\/p>\n
Sahala said distribution of the drug seemed to have been
\n'legalized'. The drug, he said, could be bought easily at small
\nkiosks at Lokasari in the Mangga Besar district.<\/p>\n
Amir Syamsuddin, a lawyer representing Zarina, an actress on
\ntrial for possessing, producing and distributing Ecstasy, said
\nthe bill had a major weakness.<\/p>\n
The bill, he said only mentioned the name of the drug,
\nEcstasy, rather than the substance, MDMA, which has strong impact
\non the nerve system. Ecstasy is just one derivative of MDMA.<\/p>\n
The name, Amir added, could change, yet the substance would
\nremain.<\/p>\n
But he acknowledged the bill's strength was its heavy
\npenalties.<\/p>\n
As Ecstasy is not classified as a narcotic and therefore not
\ncovered by the 1976 Narcotic Law, law enforcers have used the
\nweaker 1992 Health Law.<\/p>\n
Article 81 of the Health Law on the distribution of
\nunregistered drugs has a maximum penalty of seven years jail and
\na Rp 140 million fine.<\/p>\n
Police apprehended two men Monday, confiscating 1,500 Ecstasy
\npills. Earlier this month, police seized 85 Ecstasy pills from 23
\nyouths arrested at Ancol Dreamland Park.<\/p>\n
Last month Denpasar authorities waited for permission from the
\nAttorney General's Office in Jakarta to destroy tens of thousands
\nof Ecstasy pills smuggled to Bali.<\/p>\n
The first sentencing demand made in a Jakarta court for
\npossession of or dealing in Ecstasy came last September. A state
\nprosecutor had urged a court to sentence NWH alias Awi to 18
\nmonths imprisonment for trafficking Ecstasy pills.<\/p>\n
Discotheques on the way to the Puncak mountain resort last
\nAugust were subjected to three raids following suspected
\ntransactions of illegal drugs there.<\/p>\n
Hendro Sumampouw, the owner of The Hailai Discotheque in Ancol
\nwas sentenced last October to six months probation for possessing
\nmarijuana and Ecstasy pills.<\/p>\n
The public order office revealed more than 60,00 Ecstasy pills
\nwere seized at nightspots from January to July 1996.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Minister of Health Sujudi told the House of
\nRepresentatives the Ecstasy menace in Indonesia involved over
\n300,000 pills and 444 grams of powder, all seized last year. (11)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/enforce-bill-on-psychotropics-say-councilors-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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