Govt agrees to review alcohol ruling<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): After weeks of heavy pressure from Moslems and
\nother groups, the government yesterday agreed to reevaluate and
\nprobably revise the controversial decree on alcoholic beverages.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. said the government
\nhad heeded the aspirations of the public and decided to reexamine
\nthe decree.<\/p>\n
\"Comprehensive steps will be taken in reevaluating the
\ndecree,\" he said after a special meeting to discuss the issue.
\nThe meeting was attended by ministers under the Coordinating
\nMinister for Political Affairs and Security.<\/p>\n
\"I will issue an instruction to reevaluate the decree on
\nalcoholic beverages soon,\" Yogie said.<\/p>\n
He explained that one of the steps will be to change the title
\nof the decree. The current name \"provincial decree on alcohol
\ndistribution control and supervision\", has caused people to
\nmisinterpret it as an effort to condone alcohol consumption, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The decree will be reworded to include the word \"restriction\",
\nYogie said.<\/p>\n
The sale of alcohol in Indonesia, the world's largest Islamic
\ncountry, is legal. However, in the understanding of many Moslems
\nalcohol is haram (prohibited by Islam) and regulating its
\ndistribution is seen to be the same as condoning its consumption.<\/p>\n
Fifteen provinces have passed the decree and asked for the
\nhome affairs ministry endorsement. They are North Sumatra, Jambi,
\nBengkulu, Jakarta, Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara, all
\nprovinces in Sulawesi, Maluku and Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
Also attending the meeting yesterday were Armed Forces
\nCommander Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
\nAlatas, Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief and Minister of
\nInformation Harmoko.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
\nSoesilo Soedarman said that if necessary, the government will
\nissue a presidential decree or a government regulation for the
\nreevaluation.<\/p>\n
\"For now, we have agreed to reevaluate the decree on alcoholic
\nbeverages,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Relevant agencies and offices will be involved in reevaluating
\nthe decree, he said. They include the Ministry of Industry and
\nTrade which supervises the alcohol trade and production, the
\nMinistry of Health which determines alcohol content and
\nprovincial administrations which control distribution.<\/p>\n
Soesilo said the government basically approved the public's
\nsuggestion that the distribution of alcoholic beverages be
\nrestricted.<\/p>\n
\"However, the government can't completely prohibit (the
\ndistribution) of alcoholic beverages. There are areas in the
\ncountry where local customs dictate people can drink alcoholic
\nbeverages,\" Soesilo said.<\/p>\n
\"There's also the question of foreign people here who are
\nallowed to drink alcohol,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The controversy over the liquor decree began after the Jakarta
\nLegislative Council passed a bill to impose new fees on alcohol
\ndistribution.<\/p>\n
The decree was meant to replace provincial decree No.9\/1971 on
\nalcohol taxes which only imposes tax on retail sales of liquor.<\/p>\n
The new decree imposes a distribution fee and stipulates a
\nliquor distribution quota in the city.<\/p>\n
Moslem leaders saw the decree as an effort to condone alcohol
\nconsumption in the city and demanded that the administration
\nrevoke it. They also said it was a means to \"socialize\" alcoholic
\nbeverages among Indonesians and encourage Moslems, especially the
\nyounger generation, to consume alcohol.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) urged the city to form
\na team to investigate aspects not yet covered by the decree, such
\nas the control of alcoholic beverages.<\/p>\n
The city defended the decree by stating that it is intended to
\ncontrol the distribution of alcoholic beverages and to discourage
\nconsumption by youngsters.<\/p>\n
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher had earlier asked
\nprovincial governments and legislators to be sensitive to the
\naspirations of Moslem communities in relation the decree on
\nalcoholic beverages. (ste)<\/p>\n
Beer -- Page 2<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-agrees-to-review-alcohol-ruling-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }