S. Kalimantan endorses bylaw banning alcohol<\/p>\n
By Suriani<\/p>\n
BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan (Antara): This predominantly
\nMuslim province has already made an historic move this year. The
\nlegislative council has endorsed a bylaw that bans alcoholic
\ndrinks -- making South Kalimantan the first province to have
\nformally banned alcohol.<\/p>\n
The legislative council drafted the bill following strong
\ndemand from various quarters, especially Muslim ulemas and
\nstudents, for a ban on alcohol, which is strictly prohibited in
\nIslamic doctrine.<\/p>\n
The demand for an alcohol-free South Kalimantan received
\nstrong support from four of the five political factions in the
\nprovincial legislative council.<\/p>\n
The bill was passed after lively debates between legislators
\nand representatives of the provincial government.<\/p>\n
The law practically bans production, storage, possession,
\nconsumption, supply, sale and distribution of all kinds of
\nalcoholic drinks in the territory without exception. Aceh, a
\npredominantly Muslim province, has also banned alcohol but places
\nlike hotels are exempted from the rule.<\/p>\n
Anyone violating the law in South Kalimantan is liable to a
\nmaximum penalty of six months imprisonment and\/or a fine of Rp 5
\nmillion.<\/p>\n
Legislative council chief Mansyah Addryans says the bylaw is
\nexpected to get rid of alcohol, which has been widely attributed
\nto have been a factor in criminal activity.<\/p>\n
He called for the establishment of a special team in charge of
\nsupervising a strict enforcement of the bylaw.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that the law is strictly enforced. The public is
\nexpected to take an active part in the supervision. Hopefully,
\nthe province will be alcohol-free very soon,\" he says.<\/p>\n
But not everyone is optimistic the bylaw will be able to keep
\nalcohol away from South Kalimantan. Ahmad Supawi, one of the
\nlegislators who finalized the bylaw, predicts that getting rid of
\nalcohol would \"remain very difficult\" in spite of the law.<\/p>\n
He says that businesspeople would do everything to help it
\nsurvive, albeit illicitly, because alcohol is big business. He
\nreckons that alcohol consumption reaches about 100,000 liters a
\nyear.<\/p>\n
In the past, alcohol businesses in South Kalimantan were
\ntightly regulated and supervised.<\/p>\n
The newly passed bylaw has been received with great enthusiasm
\nby Muslim leaders. Chief of the local branch of the Indonesian
\nUlemas Council, HM Asywadie Syukur, says he fully supports the
\nalcohol ban. He describes alcohol as \"causing more harm than
\nbringing good deeds\".<\/p>\n
\"We have long yearned for a ban on alcohol because Muslims
\naccount for majority of the province's population. The bylaw is
\nlike a ray of hope,\" he says.<\/p>\n
He blames alcohol for the high crime rate in the area.<\/p>\n
\"Now the law is there. What remains to be seen is how it is
\nenforced,\" he says. He says countless numbers of lives have been
\nlost because of alcohol. Crimes such as rapes are on the rise and
\nthe younger generation's future is in danger.<\/p>\n
Asywadie challenges some provincial government
\nrepresentative's arguments that alcohol has significantly
\ncontributed to the provinces's coffers. \"There are a lot more
\nsources of income that can be pursued,\" he argues.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/s-kalimantan-endorses-bylaw-banning-alcohol-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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