The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) is set to hold a national meeting between Jan. 24 and 26 and may issue fatwas (religious statement) banning followers from smoking and practicing yoga.
The MUI had received numerous complaints from several organizations, including the House of Representatives and the Indonesian Children Protection Commission (KPAI), on the negative
impacts of smoking, MUI chairman Choll Ridwan told kompas.com on Tuesday.
"We understand there will be a lot of people who cannot accept such a fatwa, since many people's lives depend on the cigarette industry. Some of them work as tobacco farmers and employees in cigarettes factories," Choll said.
The council may decide on a win-win solution by making the anti-smoking fatwa applicable only to certain groups.
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