'See alcohol rulings from both sides'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher has
\nasked provincial governments and legislators to be heedful of the
\naspirations of Moslem communities regarding the decree on
\nalcoholic beverages.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi said, however, it is also important to pay attention
\nto other religious groups as well as foreign tourists, who are
\nallowed to drink alcohol.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, this matter should be seen from both sides and all
\nparties should be attentive to all aspirations,\" Tarmizi was
\nquoted by Antara news agency as saying yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"The new regulation must be perfect so as not to imply that
\nthe government approves of the spread of alcohol among the
\npeople,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The sale of alcohol in Indonesia, the world's largest Islamic
\ncountry, is legal.<\/p>\n
The minister was commenting on Moslem leaders' protests to the
\nJakarta administration over the provincial decree concerning the
\ndistribution of alcohol which was agreed to by city councilors
\nlast month. The protesters demanded that the administration
\nrevoke the decree. Some other provinces are reportedly discussing
\nbills on alcoholic drinks.<\/p>\n
Amin Rais, leader of the second biggest Moslem organization,
\nMuhammadiyah, said yesterday there should have been campaigns
\nagainst the use of alcohol here to save the young generation.<\/p>\n
\"What is happening now is the opposite. Efforts to legalize or
\nsocialize alcohol distribution should have been converted into
\ncampaigns against it,\" Rais said in Medan yesterday.<\/p>\n
The controversy over the liquor decree began after the Jakarta
\nLegislative Council passed a bill on alcoholic beverages which
\nrules the imposition of new fees on alcohol distribution.<\/p>\n
The decree was meant to replace provincial decree No.9\/1971 on
\nalcoholic beverage taxes which only imposes the tax on shops that
\nsell the 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 legalize alcohol
\nin the city.<\/p>\n
The United Development Party (PPP) faction at the Jakarta
\nCouncil said it had no choice but to approve the bill because
\nother factions had already approved it.<\/p>\n
PPP Chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum told reporters yesterday
\nthe party will warn the faction at the council.<\/p>\n
\"I think the faction has made a mistake,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Misunderstanding<\/p>\n
Deputy Governor on Economic and Administration Affairs Tb. M.
\nRais said that public protests are merely caused by
\nmisunderstanding and misinformation.<\/p>\n
He said the main goal of the decree is to control the
\ndistribution of alcoholic beverages in the city.<\/p>\n
\"The decree is created to control the beverages distribution
\nby setting a quota,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The wave of protests still continued yesterday when 30
\nstudents from the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Moslem
\nAssociation went to the city council condemning the new
\nprovincial decree, which is now at the Ministry of Home Affairs.<\/p>\n
Waving banners condemning the decree and alcohol, the students
\nmade their way into the council building's lobby. Some of them
\nread petitions.<\/p>\n
City Council Speaker M.H. Ritonga told the students in the
\nhearing that it's impossible to ban the beverages in the city.
\n\"There will be alcoholic drinks illegally sold here in the
\nfuture,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The students' spokesman, Ahmad Gazali Baadila, said that they
\nstill could not accept the decree and would continue to fight
\nagainst it.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council
\n(MUI) Ali Yafie said in Surabaya that MUI will not compromise
\nwith the city administration or any parties in this matter.<\/p>\n
Citing the ban on liquor sales in Saudi Arabia, Ali said that
\nthe country has different regulations from Indonesia, which
\nhouses people from non-Islamic religions.<\/p>\n
\"Banning alcohol in Indonesia is not the best solution.
\nRestricting production permits and distribution permits will be
\nthe best way,\" he added.<\/p>\n
In a related development, Lt. Col. Gories Mere, secretary of
\nthe Jakarta crime investigation directorate, called upon officers
\nof the city administration to be tougher in controlling the
\ndistribution of alcoholic drinks in the city.<\/p>\n
\"Our clean-up operation will be useless if the distribution
\nand supply of the beverages are not properly controlled by the
\nexecutives,\" the senior detective told The Jakarta Post
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
\"There will be no problem for the officers to arrest a
\ndrunkard who commits a crime. The problem is: Why are there still
\nalcoholic drinks available at many stores here?\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment, the newly appointed head of the
\nTangerang police precinct, Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna, said: \"We've
\nplanned to carry out a massive operation against alcoholic drinks
\nthis week in my area.\"<\/p>\n
According to the former Jakarta police spokesman, the crime
\nrate in Tangerang was partly due to crimes committed by drunken
\nsuspects.<\/p>\n
\"That's why we need a serious operation to weaken this major
\nproblem,\" he said. (yns\/bsr)<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/see-alcohol-rulings-from-both-sides-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }