President to revoke beer ruling

President to revoke beer ruling

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto is expected to issue a decree revoking the Bali governor's ruling authorizing a private company, PT Arbamass Multi Invesco, to act as sole distributor of levy-labeled beer in the resort island.

A senior official at the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that Director General for Domestic Trade Djoko Mulyono hosted a meeting with other senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, the Directorate General of Taxes and the gubernatorial office of Bali to discuss the problems related to levy-labeling of beer in Bali.

The levy-sticker problem was aired by the brewers association, which halted beer supplies to Bali last month in a protest against the labeling by Arbamass.

Each bottle of beer in Bali is subject to a sticker with a nominal value of Rp 200, but buyers have to pay Rp 600 for the labeling.

Arbamass's president, Emir Baramuli, however, denied that his company has collected levies from the labeling and monopolized the beer business in Bali.

"Calling Arbamass a tax collector, a sticker trader and a monopoly holder on the Bali market is slander. The company can sue for defamation," Emir said Tuesday.

Minister of Industry and Trade Tunky Ariwibowo announced at a fast breaking gathering at his office Tuesday evening that he had yet to receive a report of the officials' meeting from Director General of Domestic Trade Djoko Mulyono.

Tunky acknowledged that Djoko had also just held another meeting with Arbamass and brewers at his office.

"We want to know about the problem from the parties directly involved and to check whether the Bali governor's decree was based on laws or not," Tunky said.

He said that based on facts found, he will make a report to President Soeharto and propose a solution.

When asked by reporters prior to a cabinet meeting here yesterday, Tunky assured that any levies which are not based on laws will be revoked. (kod)