Teachers welcome ministerial decree on alcohol sales
JAKARTA (JP): The decree on alcohol sales planned by the Ministry of Home Affairs received support from teachers and a criminologist yesterday.
Asrul Chatib, principal of senior high school (SMU) 6 on Jl. Setia Budhi, Central Jakarta and junior high school (SMP) 177 principle Ramlani said they were happy with the plan.
Asrul said the decree, if it did not stop the consumption of alcohol, especially among teenagers, would at least reduce sales. "It's impossible to eliminate alcohol from the country."
He said it was a dilemma. "There are many schools near market places, supermarkets and shopping centers. When I headed SMU 70 in South Jakarta, I frequently spent hours at supermarkets on Saturdays and saw youngsters buying liquor. I could do nothing about it," he said.
Ramlani, head of SMP 177 in Bintaro, South Jakarta, said the plan was a step in the right direction toward minimizing the consumption of alcohol by students.
"As it is impossible for us to stop the sale of alcohol in this Metropolitan city, control over the sales of liquor must be tight," he said.
Criminologist Adrianus Meliala of the University of Indonesia said in a separate interview, the government was being pragmatic in this case.
"Eradicating alcohol would be impossible. Allowing the sale of liquor at certain places and letting people decide for themselves whether to consume or not to consume alcohol is much wiser than just prohibiting it," he said.
The presidential decree consists of six chapters and ten articles. It regulates production, quality standards, distribution, sales and tax on alcohol.
The alcohol level of drinks is divided into three categories: category a is drinks with an alcohol content of up to 5 percent. B from 5 to 20 percent and C from 20 to 55 percent.
Chapter four of the Presidential Decree states liquor may only be sold in licensed places, such as hotels, bars, restaurants and other places appointed by local authorities.
After the decree comes into force, drinkers will find it impossible to find liquor at roadside stalls.
Law enforcement
Both Asrul and Ramlani said law enforcement would be the key to success.
"For us teachers, efforts to prohibit students from buying liquor could be implemented properly if the public, the government and law enforcers cooperate with each other," Ramlani said.
"Better coordination between parents, teachers and law enforcers would enable us to do our task at school," Asrul said.
The role of the media was also significant in encouraging people to support the government's efforts to control the sales of liquor.
Sharing this opinion, criminologist Adrianus said law enforcement would be the main issue once the decree comes into effect.
"There will be new violations. Smuggling, corruption and collusion between law enforcers and traders would emerge. There must be laws in the Criminal Code to curb illegal distribution of liquor," he said.
Roadside stall owners in Tanah Abang, a Central Jakarta market notorious for drunkards and hoodlums, said the ban on liquor sales would remain effective only for a few days.
They told Berita Yudha morning daily there would be many ways of getting drinks and selling them to the customers.
Meanwhile big hotels say the decree will have no impact on them.
Frank Beck, director of Food and Beverages at ITT Sheraton at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, said the decree would have no impact on the hotel.
The Grand Hyatt Hotel's Food and Beverage Director, Bart Buiring, said; "I don't think the decree will have an impact on us. I don't think the number of our customers will grow too because we have current client-based. Most of the liquors sold at the hotel are local products. Most of the liquors are those of A and C categories," Buiring said. (sur/04/ste)