House factions urge tougher Ecstasy bill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): All the factions in the House of Representatives
\nwelcomed a government bill designed to curtail the abuse of
\nEcstasy pills among youth, but some doubt that the maximum
\npunishment proposed is sufficient to deter violations.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) questioned the proposed
\nmaximum penalty, which is less than the death penalty under the
\n1976 narcotic law.<\/p>\n
"It is possible that the social impact of psychotropic drugs
\nis worse than narcotics," PDI faction spokesman M. Safei Ali
\nGumay said during a House plenary session of the second reading
\nof the Bill on Psychotropic Substances.<\/p>\n
The faction argued that the punishment should be commensurate
\nwith the risk and impact of the violation.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces (ABRI) faction said the abuse of certain
\npsychotropic substances is often more damaging than narcotic
\nabuses. "Consequently, sanctions should be stiffer," spokesman
\nTjutju Gandanurhadi said.<\/p>\n
The government has not specifically stipulated the minimum and
\nmaximum punishments in the bill, leaving the matter for
\ndeliberation by the House's factions.<\/p>\n
But Minister of Health Sujudi in the first reading of the bill
\non Sept. 5 said, the minimum penalty should be more than that for
\nthe abuse of general drugs, as outlined in the 1992 Health Law,
\nwhich is 15 years, and the maximum penalty should not exceed that
\nstipulated under the 1976 narcotic law, which is death.<\/p>\n
All the factions -- including the Golkar and the United
\nDevelopment Party -- welcomed the bill as timely given the
\nincreasing abuse of the Ecstasy pills among Indonesian youth.<\/p>\n
The police's anti-Ecstasy drive has been undermined by the
\nabsence of an effective legislation to punish producers,
\ntraffickers and users of the designer pills.<\/p>\n
Ecstasy is not classified a narcotic, and therefore
\nprosecutors have had to use an article on the distribution of
\ndangerous drugs under the 1992 Health Law.<\/p>\n
While indicating that the bill would get swift passage, the
\nfactions said some of the provisions should be tightened up to
\neffectively stamp out abuse.<\/p>\n
They recognized the benefits of the substances in medicine but
\nunderscored the danger to youth, and subsequently the nation, if
\nthe abuse was not curtailed.<\/p>\n
The ABRI faction said the bill should apply to all
\npsychotropic substances, and not be restricted to addictive
\nsubstances.<\/p>\n
The PDI faction said the bill should extend the punishment to
\nthose involved in syndicates, which are believed to be behind the
\ndistribution of most Ecstasy pills. (05)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-factions-urge-tougher-ecstasy-bill-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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