Liquor ban affects Tangerang tourism industry

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

"We can't offer our guests only mineral water and soft drinks," said Apong, the general manager of the one-star Hotel Transit near Serpong toll road in Tangerang.

He feared the newly issued bylaw prohibiting the sale of alcoholic drinks except at three-to five-star hotels and selected restaurants would affect business.

He said most guests and visitors to the hotel's karaoke lounge ordered beer, although stronger drinks like whiskey were also available.

"We go through about three bottles of whiskey a month," Apong said.

Hotel Chandra operational manager Syarif Hidayat shared a similar concern.

"We will have to close our cafe and lay off several workers," he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The Tangerang Municipal Council on Monday endorsed bylaws that ban both prostitution and the sale of alcoholic drinks.

The bylaw will come into effect early next year, giving the administration three months to communicate it to the public.

The liquor bylaw only allows for the distribution and sale of alcoholic drinks in three- to five-star hotels, and designated restaurants that rank alongside four- and five-star hotels for consumption on the premises.

Violators of the bylaw could face up to three months' imprisonment or a fine of up to Rp 50 million (US$5,000).

There are only three hotels rated high enough to serve liquor in Tangerang: The three-star Istana Nelayan Hotel on Jl. Gatot Subroto and Quality Hotel at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and the five-star Sheraton Bandara Hotel, also at the airport.

Chairman of the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Entertainment Venue Owners in Tangerang Nasrul Syah said none of the association's members had lodged complaints over the bylaws.

"Drinking (liquor) is not part of our culture. But how about non-nationals who order alcoholic drinks? The administration should have considered them before issuing the bylaw," he told the Post.

Erlan Sunarlan, head of the administration's legal department, which formulated the bylaw drafts, said they were in line with the phrase chosen to sum up the city's vision for future development -- akhlakul kharimah (Arabic for a religious, responsible and honest way of life).

"Mayor Wahidin Halim wants the vision to be legitimate and adopted by the residents," he said.

He added that the mayor would determine at a later date the duty-free shops permitted to stock alcoholic "health" drinks marketed as herbal remedies.

Secretary of the Tangerang Council committee that endorsed the bylaws Samsuri said alcoholic drinks producers and distributors in the municipality could operate as usual.

"They can produce liquor here and transport it out of the municipality after production, but they cannot sell it anywhere in this city," he said.

The administration will form a team comprising public and religious figures and officials from the public order, tourism, trade and industry agencies and the cooperatives office and the police to monitor the implementation of the bylaws.