Teachers welcome ministerial decree on alcohol sales

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)