Councilors reject bill on liquor

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Councilors from the Moslem- based United Development Party (PPP) are determined to reject a bill on liquor distribution.

They said yesterday they intended to stick to their demand that the government must ban liquor and not merely restrict its distribution.

Alcohol is haram, or forbidden under Islamic beliefs. Various Moslem groups in Java have held demonstrations to press their demand that the government must ban alcoholic beverages.

Tadjuddin Noor, the chairman of the PPP faction in the South Kalimantan provincial legislative council, said he wants the local government to ban alcoholic beverages.

The Jakarta-based central executive board issued an instruction on Oct. 8 for all its legislators in the provinces to reject the gubernatorial decree regulating liquor distribution.

"I would personally agree on the need to restrict alcohol to medication and tourism purposes," Tadjuddin was quoted as saying by Antara. (pan)