The bylaws banning smoking in certain areas have yet to be enforced, as the city administration once again puts off plans to impose sanctions on violators.

Governor Fauzi Bowo said Monday the administration was still discussing the implementation of the 2005 bylaws on air control and designated nonsmoking areas with stakeholders, such as antismoking NGOs, building managements, as well as the association of retailers.

He said the Jakarta Environmental Management Board (BPLHD) would target all smokers violating the bylaws and impose sanctions on them.

“We will enact the laws with the prosecutor’s office. We will take appropriate measures and start some kind of operasi yustisi. Hopefully, the raids will start soon after this year’s general elections,” said Fauzi at the City Hall.

Operasi yustisi is the city’s annual random raid to net migrants without ID cards or job credentials overstaying their welcome in Jakarta.

The bylaws stipulate that smoking is prohibited in certain public areas, such as office buildings,

medical centers and on public transportation.

Violations are punishable with a six-month prison sentence or fines up to Rp 50 million (US$4,190).

Although the bylaws were approved a few years ago, their implementation has been deemed unworkable. So far, no smoker has been punished for violating those bylaws.

According to a 2009 Jakarta Residents Forum (FAKTA) survey, about 80 percent of city office buildings violated the bylaws.

To address this issue, the BPLHD staged an 11-day raid across the city in November, arresting 109 people but not applying any of the punishments stated in the bylaws.

Ridwan Panjaitan from the BPLHD previously said the agency would come down hard on building managements in early March. However, the crackdown has not materialized yet.

“It is virtually impossible for us to raid all smokers violating the bylaw across the capital, so we will focus on building managements,” said Ridwan.

He said his office would also target buildings without smoking rooms or nonsmoking signs in nonsmoking areas.

Abdul Ghoni, a councillor of Commission D for development affairs, said:“The bylaws have been issued a long time ago, but as of today, we have yet to see their implementation. It’s like the same old song,”

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