Sutiyoso wants penalties for smoking

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Smokers, beware. Lighting a cigarette in public places might end up in a jail sentence of six months or a fine of Rp 5 million (US$562) if Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has his way in the deliberation of a draft bylaw on air pollution.

In an attempt to make the capital a "smoke-free city", Sutiyoso's administration is trying to insert clauses on cigarette smoking in public places into the draft bylaw on air pollution now being deliberated by the Jakarta Council.

"The inclusion of the smoking ban in the draft bylaw would speed up the city's effort to control smoking in public places," Sutiyoso said at his office on Monday.

He said that he would submit a separate draft bylaw on smoking to the City Council after councillors concluded their debates on the air pollution control draft.

If endorsed, the draft is expected to become a strong legal basis to clean up Jakarta's air, which has long been considered one of the worst in the world.

The draft bylaw, among others, requires all vehicles -- considered major air polluters in the capital -- to undergo emissions tests in order to have their certificates renewed.

Currently, only public transportation and cargo vehicles are subject to vehicular emission tests.

According to Sutiyoso, smoke-free zones to be stipulated in the draft include public transportation vehicles (buses, trains and minivans), offices and other air-conditioned buildings, such as malls.

The governor also brought up the idea of a smoking ban last year during the celebration of the National Children's Day on July 23.

In a gubernatorial decree dated Feb. 9, Sutiyoso required all administration officials, workers and guests to refrain from smoking in the administration's offices.

However, many city officials continue to ignore the smoking ban decree because there was no punishment against violators.

Studies have shown that many of Jakarta's smokers are children. A recent survey carried out by the Pelita Ilmu Foundation estimated that about three million teenagers in the country were regular smokers with 20 percent of them still in junior high school.

Sutiyoso said the administration would construct special places for smokers in public places soon after the city has a legal basis to control smoking.

"We need to prepare facilities for smokers so that they will not violate the regulation," he added.

So far, little has been done by the government to discourage people from smoking despite the existence of Government Regulation No. 81/1999 on the protection of public health, which requires smoke-free zones in public places, buildings and aboard public transportation.

Data from the Ministry of Health shows that about 57,000 people in the country are known to die annually from tobacco- related illnesses, including heart disease, respiratory diseases, mouth cancer, throat cancer and strokes.