PT Arbamass denies misuse of official letter<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): PT Arbamass Multi Invesco, which advocates
\ncontrolling Indonesia's liquor trade and distribution through
\nmandatory labeling, insists it has the legal right to carry out
\nthe move although a Ministry of Home Affairs official says
\notherwise.<\/p>\n
\"We never represented the 1994 letter signed by Warsito
\nRasman, then director general of regional autonomy of the
\nMinistry of Home Affairs, as a license to carry out our plan,\"
\nAbbas, an executive of Arbamass told The Jakarta Post by phone
\nlast night.<\/p>\n
Abbas was reacting to yesterday's news report which quoted
\nSumitro, the current director general of regional autonomy, as
\nsaying that no firms are allowed to use the 1994 letter as a
\n\"pretext to make money from controlling the trade of liquor\".<\/p>\n
A copy of the 1994 letter shows that the document is a
\ncircular addressed to provincial governors reminding them to
\ncontrol liquor distribution in their respective areas.<\/p>\n
The letter, which does not mention Arbamass at all, was issued
\ntwo months before the company was incorporated.<\/p>\n
Abbas' statement yesterday contradicted the announcement by
\nArbamass's top executives in a press conference last month.<\/p>\n
During that meeting, the executives said that the 1994 letter
\nempowered the company to control liquor distribution throughout
\nmainly Moslem Indonesia by compulsory labeling.<\/p>\n
Misquoted<\/p>\n
\"We have the legal permits from the provinces' governors. We
\nwere misquoted,\" Abbas clarified yesterday.<\/p>\n
Up to now, Arbamass has not sent a letter complaining of being
\nmisquoted to the media which covered last month's meeting.<\/p>\n
The widely-diversified Arbamass is controlled by businessmen
\nAri Sigit Soeharto and Emir Baramuli.<\/p>\n
Emir said during last month's press meeting that he wanted all
\nliquor producers and distributors to purchase Arbmass' stickers
\nprior to their liquor sales.<\/p>\n
All liquor without such labels will be made illegal, he said.<\/p>\n
That move would protect the country's youths and raise the
\nrevenues of regional administrations, he said.<\/p>\n
Opposed<\/p>\n
Abbas said yesterday that executives of his firm will soon
\nmeet Sumitro so that the official can \"correct his perception on
\nthe matter\".<\/p>\n
The labeling move has been strongly opposed by liquor
\nproducers, including brewers who are publicly listed and
\npartially foreign owned.<\/p>\n
The producers, fearing that sales will be hurt, if Arbamass
\nhas its way, called the move \"illegal and monopolistic\".<\/p>\n
They also said the prices of Arbamass' stickers are far higher
\nthan all existing regional levies. Moreover, they said they
\ncannot accept a private firm controlling the industry, which is
\nalready heavily taxed and tightly regulated.<\/p>\n
The producers also claimed, as recently as the first week of
\nthis month, that they were never consulted by Arbamass, or the
\ngovernment agencies normally overseeing this industry, about the
\nlabeling move.<\/p>\n
The producers' claim was denied by another staff member of
\nArbamass last night.<\/p>\n
\"We have been negotiating with the producers since December,\"
\nhe said, while requesting anonymity.<\/p>\n
He also said that Arbamass does not aim to profit from the
\nsales of the stickers.<\/p>\n
The firm will only make money from the \"operational fees\" for
\ncontrolling the distribution of liquor, he said.<\/p>\n
Arbamass, although inexperienced in beverage distribution, has
\nbeen awarded a license to distribute liquor by the health
\nministry.<\/p>\n
When asked what if the labeling move creates a negative image
\nof Indonesia's legal certainty in the eyes of foreign investors,
\nthe Arbamass staff member replied: \"They can say whatever they
\nwant. We only care for the country's younger generation.\" (hdj)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pt-arbamass-denies-misuse-of-official-letter-1447893297",
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