Govt declares war on drugs
Govt declares war on drugs
JAKARTA (JP): Deputy Governor for Social Welfare R.S. Museno announced yesterday that the city administration would take firm action against anyone found to have trafficked in banned drugs.
Museno said it was impossible for the city administration to tackle the problem working on its own.
"We are cooperating with other related institutions as the city only has authority to handle the public order aspect of the matter while investigating and curbing the circulation of drugs are police jobs. Therefore it is important to coordinate with other institutions, such as the police," Museno said.
Museno said that coordination was needed so there would be no mistakes in the launching of the operation.
Drug trafficking among young people has reportedly reached a dangerous level, with drug-dealing occurring in public places, such as discotheques.
It is believed the most popular drug among young people at present is ecstasy, an amphetamine-related drug imported from the U.S. and Europe. Ecstasy sells for between Rp 80,000 and Rp 200,000 per pill, according to reports.
Asked about progress in the investigation of a discotheque in South Jakarta which has allegedly been violating the public order regulation, Museno said that the city public order office was still investigating the claims.
He rejected suggestions that the city administration was "reluctant" to take immediate and firm action against the discotheque because it had the backing of certain "powerful" people.
"No, that is not true. We do not tolerate such things, even assuming the accusation that the place has powerful backers to be true," Museno said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Sujudi has called for illegal drugs to be eliminated once and for all.
He said illegal drugs caused the younger generation to lead a "negative" way of life and made them "unappreciative of the struggle of the founding fathers who built the country."
"They have many better things to do and they should use their time more fruitfully for the benefit of others," he said.
He said there was presently no legal company producing psychotropic drugs. "If there are any (psychotropic drugs) on the market, they must have been smuggled into the country".
Sujudi said the government was currently formulating a law to regulate the production, distribution and quality of liquor.
He said the draft was being compiled jointly by the ministry of industry, which was handling the production aspects; the ministry of trade, which was considering distribution issues; and the ministry of health, which was giving its attention to the question of quality.
Sujudi said the new law would prevent liquor from being produced through methods other than fermentation. (pwn/yns)