City plans hearing with Ulemas over decree on alcohol
City plans hearing with Ulemas over decree on alcohol
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration is scheduled to hold a
hearing with ulemas to explain the controversial decree on
alcoholic beverages, a deputy governor says.
Deputy Governor of Administrative Affairs Idroes said
yesterday that the hearing is aimed at familiarizing the ulemas
with details of the decree.
"The hearing is important for us to make the ulemas understand
that by producing the decree the administration does not have any
intention to approve the spread of alcohol among the people,"
Idroes said.
It could be the ulemas have not yet been informed that the
decree, which is now in the hands of the Ministry of Home
Affairs, is aimed at controlling the distribution of alcohol in
the city by the imposition of various fees, he said.
Idroes said the old decree, No.9/1971, only taxes shops which
sell alcoholic drinks which are sold in bottles or containers
without labels. The decree is still in effect.
The new decree will make alcoholic drinks of all kinds
labeled, making it easier for the administration to see if the
beverages are legal or not.
He added that the quota of beverages distributed in the city
will be determined based on the demand. "Basically, we will
explain to the ulemas that the decree is stronger than the
existing one in improving the control of the sales and
distribution of the beverages," he said.
Instruction
According to Idroes, the decree, which was passed by City
Council last month, was introduced following an instruction from
the Ministry of Home Affairs through letter No. 535/536/PUOD,
dated Feb. 19, 1994, on alcohol beverages control.
He said the letter instructed provincial governments
throughout Indonesia to improve control on alcoholic beverages.
Separately, City Council Speaker M.H. Ritonga repeated his
statements that it is impossible for the council to cancel the
decree, which has been approved by all factions at the council.
"The council's approval in a plenary meeting is legal. Most of
all, the decree is better than the existing one," Ritonga said
yesterday.
The decree stipulates that permits for distributing alcohol
cost Rp 10 million (US$4,347) per year. Liquor to be sold in the
city must be in bottles of at least 200 cc (not 100 cc as earlier
reported), a measure which councilors said is part of efforts to
discourage consumption by youngsters.
Labels must be attached to each bottle signifying the
municipality's approval of distributors' permits. The labels will
also state that liquor is harmful to one's health.
Labels will cost at least Rp 400 for 200 cc to 400 cc bottles
with an alcohol content of 1 percent to 5 percent.
The highest fee, Rp 5,000, is for bottles of 400 cc to 800 cc
with an ethanol content of 20 percent to 55 percent.
Fees for larger bottles are based on those for 800 cc bottles.
Bottles of 8,000 cc, for instance, are charged Rp 50,000.
The decree created a controversy after Moslem communities
protested and accused it of being a means to socialize alcoholic
beverages among Indonesian, who are mostly Moslems. Alcohol is
haram (prohibited) according to Islamic teaching.
The ulemas expressed their worry that the decree will
encourage Moslems, especially from the younger generations, to
consume alcohol. (yns)