Experts warn of lack of rules on genetic engineering<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Environmental experts warned on Tuesday that
\nIndonesia lacked regulations and precautionary principles
\nconcerning the widespread promotion of genetic engineering
\ntechnology.<\/p>\n
A specialist on the global environment at the State Ministry
\nof the Environment, Effendi Sumardja, and environmental expert
\nOtto Soemarwoto noted that there must be strict regulation and
\nprecautionary measures put in place to protect consumers.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia as a developing country is a potential market for
\nsuch products and, therefore, we need strict regulation to
\nprotect our people,\" he said at a national seminar in Bandung,
\nWest Java.<\/p>\n
The function of such regulation, he said, would be to control
\nthe production of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) so they
\nwill not be detrimental to people's health or damage the
\nenvironment, including the country's biodiversity.<\/p>\n
\"Another benefit of such regulation would be that our country
\nwould gain a strong legal basis for taking action in respect of
\nillegal GMOs and for refusing to issue licenses for the marketing
\nof such products,\" Effendi said.<\/p>\n
He added that it was also aimed at developing international
\ncooperation to protect biodiversity.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the same seminar, Otto Soemarwoto noted that while
\ngenetic engineering technology promised many benefits for
\nmankind, the setting in place of precautionary measures was a
\nmust.<\/p>\n
\"Don't get too carried away by the overhyping of the benefits
\nof this technology. Let's analyze the hype critically,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Otto, most experts only read literature which
\naccorded with their personal tastes. But they often disregarded
\nthe interests of consumers.<\/p>\n
Otto pointed to the recent debate over transgenic technology,
\nnoting that the debate could serve to educate consumers about the
\ndangers of such technology.<\/p>\n
Transgenic technology is a method of creating higher quality
\ncrops and stock by inserting genes, sometimes from other species,
\nin order to, for instance, protect the plants from pests or to
\nresist a specific herbicide.<\/p>\n
Despite assurances from scientists that the products are safe,
\nsome are dubious about their effects on health and the
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
Otto said that the controversy over GMOs was not about
\nagreeing or disagreeing with genetically-engineered products and
\ntheir benefits, but over the precautions that were required.<\/p>\n
\"There is some uncertainty about the effects of the
\ntechnology, therefore we should be careful about its impact in
\nthe future. Precautions against long-term risks are valid,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Otto gave as an example the discovery of chlorofluorocarbon
\n(CFC) gas at the end of the 1920s, which was considered an ideal
\nindustrial chemical as it was nonpoisonous, stable, inert,
\nnoncorrosive, noninflammable and nonexplosive.<\/p>\n
But in 1985, the Mina International Convention recognized that
\nthe gas was eating a hole in the ozone layer, and agreed to ban
\nits usage. (hdn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/experts-warn-of-lack-of-rules-on-genetic-engineering-1447893297",
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