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)
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