Enforce bill on psychotropics, say councilors
JAKARTA (JP): Councilors urged the immediate issuance of the necessary government regulations to enable the enforcement of the newly passed bill on psychotropics.
The law endorsed on Jan. 27 enables the punishment of those proved guilty of possessing, trafficking or producing Ecstasy with a maximum penalty of death. The long-awaited bill will become law as soon as President Soeharto signs it.
Outrage over the use of the drug became widespread following the arrests of several people alleged to have been selling or using Ecstasy. Jakarta and Tangerang are among the sites with the most reported arrests.
Yesterday councilors repeated earlier views that the drugs would eventually destroy the nation's youth, as reports revealed users are mostly youngsters.
"Trafficking of the drug should amount to a subversive act", said H. Ronggo Sutrisno Thahir of the United Development Party (PPP) faction. Sahala P. Sinaga of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction, Abu Bakar of the ruling Golkar faction and M. Rodja of the PPP faction, said nightspots were a haven for drug sellers.
Sahala said distribution of the drug seemed to have been 'legalized'. The drug, he said, could be bought easily at small kiosks at Lokasari in the Mangga Besar district.
Amir Syamsuddin, a lawyer representing Zarina, an actress on trial for possessing, producing and distributing Ecstasy, said the bill had a major weakness.
The bill, he said only mentioned the name of the drug, Ecstasy, rather than the substance, MDMA, which has strong impact on the nerve system. Ecstasy is just one derivative of MDMA.
The name, Amir added, could change, yet the substance would remain.
But he acknowledged the bill's strength was its heavy penalties.
As Ecstasy is not classified as a narcotic and therefore not covered by the 1976 Narcotic Law, law enforcers have used the weaker 1992 Health Law.
Article 81 of the Health Law on the distribution of unregistered drugs has a maximum penalty of seven years jail and a Rp 140 million fine.
Police apprehended two men Monday, confiscating 1,500 Ecstasy pills. Earlier this month, police seized 85 Ecstasy pills from 23 youths arrested at Ancol Dreamland Park.
Last month Denpasar authorities waited for permission from the Attorney General's Office in Jakarta to destroy tens of thousands of Ecstasy pills smuggled to Bali.
The first sentencing demand made in a Jakarta court for possession of or dealing in Ecstasy came last September. A state prosecutor had urged a court to sentence NWH alias Awi to 18 months imprisonment for trafficking Ecstasy pills.
Discotheques on the way to the Puncak mountain resort last August were subjected to three raids following suspected transactions of illegal drugs there.
Hendro Sumampouw, the owner of The Hailai Discotheque in Ancol was sentenced last October to six months probation for possessing marijuana and Ecstasy pills.
The public order office revealed more than 60,00 Ecstasy pills were seized at nightspots from January to July 1996.
Meanwhile Minister of Health Sujudi told the House of Representatives the Ecstasy menace in Indonesia involved over 300,000 pills and 444 grams of powder, all seized last year. (11)