'Legislation alone can't prevent alocoholism'

'Legislation alone can't prevent alocoholism'

JAKARTA (JP): Noted Moslem scholar Nurcholish Madjid has said
it would take the Moslem community more than legislation to
prevent alcoholism, especially among youths.

Nurcholish said people need to return to a way of life based
on Islamic teaching. "They need to be persuaded back to Islam
because most of the drinkers are from the abangan group," said
Nurcholish, referring to a term used to describe Moslems who do
not adhere to many Islamic laws.

Nurcholish was commenting on the planned "ministerial
instruction", a regulation meant to serve as a directive for a
recent presidential decree on liquor sales. Creating controversy
even before it came into effect, the planned regulation shows
that Moslems need more than just another legislation to fight
alcoholism, Nurcholish pointed out.

Last Tuesday the Ministry of Home Affairs announced its plan
to introduce a guideline on last month's presidential decree
no.3/1997 on the control of alcohol. Legislators have suggested
the policy be bolstered by legislation.

"Most legislations have loopholes, including this one on
liquor sales. Besides, we are dealing with a lucrative business
here, namely the alcohol industry," Nurcholish said.

He added alcoholism should be dealt with not only by
legislation, but also the involvement of all elements in society.

Nurcholish said Indonesia's policy on alcohol was weak, even
compared to the United States. "The United States has realized
that alcoholism is the second bane after racialism. They have
introduced stricter regulations than we have," he said.

He added a return to religious teaching does not mean
Islamization, a term used for the campaign to convert non-
Moslems.

"Moslems should mend their ways. Most Indonesians are Moslems,
so most of the corruptors, prostitutes and drinkers are Moslems
too. Alcohol is not a problem of legislation. It's a problem of
enlightenment," he said.

Moslems make up some 87 percent of Indonesia's population of
200 million, making the country the world's most populous Moslem
nation.

Earlier this week physician and Moslem scholar Dadang Hawari
slammed the country's lax alcohol rules, especially regarding
advertising and the minimum drinking age.

Under the 1977 Minister of Health decree, alcoholic beverages
could be sold to people over the age of 16, which is more lenient
than the law imposed in "more liberal states such as Japan and
Australia". The two countries' drinking age limits are 21 and 18
respectively.

"We're actually more liberal than a liberal country," Dadang
said.

The 1977 rule also stated that advertising restrictions are
only imposed to ads of category C drinks, which contain 20
percent to 55 percent of ethanol. Beer and wine could still be
publicly advertised.

The presidential decree consisting of six chapters and 10
articles, regulates only the production, distribution, sales,
quality standards and tax on the beverages.

The alcohol level is divided into three categories; A includes
drinks with a content less than 5 percent of ethanol, B from 5
percent to 20 percent and C from 20 percent to 55 percent.

Only category A drinks are allowed to be sold in supermarkets.
The other categories can be found at hotels, restaurants, bars
and other appointed places. (35)