Smokers add to public transportation woes

Fifi Yulianti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"I could hardly breathe. I had a headache and almost choked to death. I just wish that I could be at home immediately, every time I'm in such a situation," Chibi, 23, said.

Chibi, a final-semester law student at the University of Indonesia, was relating her experience about using public transportation in Jakarta.

It was not the notorious vehicle emissions she was talking about, but tobacco smoke produced by passengers in a crowded public bus.

Many passengers in public transportation here smoke, and other passengers like Chibi, who does not smoke, are much affected. They feel irritated and annoyed, but feel they can do nothing about it.

"With this extremely hot weather and low quality of life, I sometimes feel so desperate about living in Jakarta," Chibi said.

"I guess this is the consequence of people who prefer to live here and do not have their own transportation. This is like a journey to hell," she told The Jakarta Post on board a crowded PPD public bus heading to Grogol, West Jakarta.

She was therefore excited upon hearing the city administration's plan to restrict smoking in public transportation, offices and other places.

But Chibi should be patient because it will take some time before the plan can be implemented.

The plan was unveiled by Governor Sutiyoso during a ceremony to observe World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

He hoped that the new policy could be implemented by the end of the year. However, the administration had first to draft legislation as the basis for the rule.

Most cigarette vendors probably object to city administration plans to restrict smoking as it will reduce their income, but others, even some smokers, support it. But they said the government had to be serious and consistent, and warned about the possibility of corrupt officials who might abuse it in their attempt to make money from the new regulation.

Willy, 29, a smoker himself, said he agreed with the plan as long as the government acted consistently. He added that the upcoming regulations should be implemented on a permanent basis, not just temporarily.

Another smoker, Bowo, 23, said he supported the plan, as long as smoking in public places was not totally banned, meaning that there should still be special spaces provided for smokers.

Willy and Bowo are among some 70 percent of the country's 215 million population that smokes.

Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi said that 57,000 people died annually from tobacco-related illness like heart disease, respiratory diseases, mouth cancer, throat cancer and stroke.

Currently, 500,000 people in the country are suffering from such illnesses.

According to the World Health Organization, five million people worldwide die each year for tobacco-related illnesses.