Banten governor fumes over smoking ban at airport
Multa Fidrus, The JakartaPost, Tangerang
Smoking bans may be for the good of all, but Banten Governor Djoko Munnandar is none too happy that no one asked him before plans were made for a smoke-free Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
Munnandar said on Thursday that he would complain in writing to the Jakarta administration over the planned smoking ban at Soekarno-Hatta International airport, which is under the authority of Banten administration.
"The city (Jakarta) administration never invited us to talk about the smoking ban and this means that it does not respect administrative regions as stipulated in Law No. 23/2000 on the formation of Banten province," Munandar said during a visit to Tangerang on Thursday.
The City Council endorsed on Feb. 4 a bylaw that bans smoking in enclosed public places as part of its clean air campaign.
Although the bylaw takes effect one year after its endorsement and applies only in Jakarta, airport authorities have already taken steps to set up enclosed smoking areas in the airport.
Studies have ranked Jakarta's air quality as the third-worst in the world after Mexico and Bangkok.
"It is legally wrong if the city administration bans smoking in enclosed public places at the airport without discussing the issue with the West Java provincial administration," Munandar said.
He said he had ordered officials of the Banten provincial administration's law department to study the city bylaw.
The governor asked Banten people to refrain from heated debate over the bylaw as there were many other things that required their attention.
The bylaw criminalizes smoking inside public places and punishes violators with six months' imprisonment and/or a fine of Rp 50 million (US$5,555).
Sutiyoso said earlier that the bylaw, which has earned praise from antismoking and environmental activists, is an important antipollution measure.
According to the new bylaw, smoking is banned in, among other places, buses, trains and airplanes, malls, restaurants and hotels.