'See alcohol rulings from both sides'

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher has asked provincial governments and legislators to be heedful of the aspirations of Moslem communities regarding the decree on alcoholic beverages.

Tarmizi said, however, it is also important to pay attention to other religious groups as well as foreign tourists, who are allowed to drink alcohol.

"Therefore, this matter should be seen from both sides and all parties should be attentive to all aspirations," Tarmizi was quoted by Antara news agency as saying yesterday.

"The new regulation must be perfect so as not to imply that the government approves of the spread of alcohol among the people," he said.

The sale of alcohol in Indonesia, the world's largest Islamic country, is legal.

The minister was commenting on Moslem leaders' protests to the Jakarta administration over the provincial decree concerning the distribution of alcohol which was agreed to by city councilors last month. The protesters demanded that the administration revoke the decree. Some other provinces are reportedly discussing bills on alcoholic drinks.

Amin Rais, leader of the second biggest Moslem organization, Muhammadiyah, said yesterday there should have been campaigns against the use of alcohol here to save the young generation.

"What is happening now is the opposite. Efforts to legalize or socialize alcohol distribution should have been converted into campaigns against it," Rais said in Medan yesterday.

The controversy over the liquor decree began after the Jakarta Legislative Council passed a bill on alcoholic beverages which rules the imposition of new fees on alcohol distribution.

The decree was meant to replace provincial decree No.9/1971 on alcoholic beverage taxes which only imposes the tax on shops that sell the 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 legalize alcohol in the city.

The United Development Party (PPP) faction at the Jakarta Council said it had no choice but to approve the bill because other factions had already approved it.

PPP Chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum told reporters yesterday the party will warn the faction at the council.

"I think the faction has made a mistake," he said.

Misunderstanding

Deputy Governor on Economic and Administration Affairs Tb. M. Rais said that public protests are merely caused by misunderstanding and misinformation.

He said the main goal of the decree is to control the distribution of alcoholic beverages in the city.

"The decree is created to control the beverages distribution by setting a quota," he said.

The wave of protests still continued yesterday when 30 students from the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Moslem Association went to the city council condemning the new provincial decree, which is now at the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Waving banners condemning the decree and alcohol, the students made their way into the council building's lobby. Some of them read petitions.

City Council Speaker M.H. Ritonga told the students in the hearing that it's impossible to ban the beverages in the city. "There will be alcoholic drinks illegally sold here in the future," he said.

The students' spokesman, Ahmad Gazali Baadila, said that they still could not accept the decree and would continue to fight against it.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) Ali Yafie said in Surabaya that MUI will not compromise with the city administration or any parties in this matter.

Citing the ban on liquor sales in Saudi Arabia, Ali said that the country has different regulations from Indonesia, which houses people from non-Islamic religions.

"Banning alcohol in Indonesia is not the best solution. Restricting production permits and distribution permits will be the best way," he added.

In a related development, Lt. Col. Gories Mere, secretary of the Jakarta crime investigation directorate, called upon officers of the city administration to be tougher in controlling the distribution of alcoholic drinks in the city.

"Our clean-up operation will be useless if the distribution and supply of the beverages are not properly controlled by the executives," the senior detective told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

"There will be no problem for the officers to arrest a drunkard who commits a crime. The problem is: Why are there still alcoholic drinks available at many stores here?" he said.

When asked to comment, the newly appointed head of the Tangerang police precinct, Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna, said: "We've planned to carry out a massive operation against alcoholic drinks this week in my area."

According to the former Jakarta police spokesman, the crime rate in Tangerang was partly due to crimes committed by drunken suspects.

"That's why we need a serious operation to weaken this major problem," he said. (yns/bsr)

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