Govt agrees to review alcohol ruling
Govt agrees to review alcohol ruling
JAKARTA (JP): After weeks of heavy pressure from Moslems and
other groups, the government yesterday agreed to reevaluate and
probably revise the controversial decree on alcoholic beverages.
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. said the government
had heeded the aspirations of the public and decided to reexamine
the decree.
"Comprehensive steps will be taken in reevaluating the
decree," he said after a special meeting to discuss the issue.
The meeting was attended by ministers under the Coordinating
Minister for Political Affairs and Security.
"I will issue an instruction to reevaluate the decree on
alcoholic beverages soon," Yogie said.
He explained that one of the steps will be to change the title
of the decree. The current name "provincial decree on alcohol
distribution control and supervision", has caused people to
misinterpret it as an effort to condone alcohol consumption, he
said.
The decree will be reworded to include the word "restriction",
Yogie said.
The sale of alcohol in Indonesia, the world's largest Islamic
country, is legal. However, in the understanding of many Moslems
alcohol is haram (prohibited by Islam) and regulating its
distribution is seen to be the same as condoning its consumption.
Fifteen provinces have passed the decree and asked for the
home affairs ministry endorsement. They are North Sumatra, Jambi,
Bengkulu, Jakarta, Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara, all
provinces in Sulawesi, Maluku and Irian Jaya.
Also attending the meeting yesterday were Armed Forces
Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
Alatas, Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief and Minister of
Information Harmoko.
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
Soesilo Soedarman said that if necessary, the government will
issue a presidential decree or a government regulation for the
reevaluation.
"For now, we have agreed to reevaluate the decree on alcoholic
beverages," he said.
Relevant agencies and offices will be involved in reevaluating
the decree, he said. They include the Ministry of Industry and
Trade which supervises the alcohol trade and production, the
Ministry of Health which determines alcohol content and
provincial administrations which control distribution.
Soesilo said the government basically approved the public's
suggestion that the distribution of alcoholic beverages be
restricted.
"However, the government can't completely prohibit (the
distribution) of alcoholic beverages. There are areas in the
country where local customs dictate people can drink alcoholic
beverages," Soesilo said.
"There's also the question of foreign people here who are
allowed to drink alcohol," he said.
The controversy over the liquor decree began after the Jakarta
Legislative Council passed a bill to impose new fees on alcohol
distribution.
The decree was meant to replace provincial decree No.9/1971 on
alcohol taxes which only imposes tax on retail sales of liquor.
The new decree imposes a distribution fee and stipulates a
liquor distribution quota in the city.
Moslem leaders saw the decree as an effort to condone alcohol
consumption in the city and demanded that the administration
revoke it. They also said it was a means to "socialize" alcoholic
beverages among Indonesians and encourage Moslems, especially the
younger generation, to consume alcohol.
The Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) urged the city to form
a team to investigate aspects not yet covered by the decree, such
as the control of alcoholic beverages.
The city defended the decree by stating that it is intended to
control the distribution of alcoholic beverages and to discourage
consumption by youngsters.
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher had earlier asked
provincial governments and legislators to be sensitive to the
aspirations of Moslem communities in relation the decree on
alcoholic beverages. (ste)
Beer -- Page 2