“It is virtually impossible for us to catch all the smokers violating the bylaw across the capital,” said Ridwan Panjaitan, head of the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPHLD), as criticism of his office’s failure to enforce the nonsmoking bans in public places mounts.
While the intention is not to defend the official’s excuse, it is hard to argue with his statement. We do agree the government should do more to uphold the law, but we, residents, should also be able to discipline ourselves. And unfortunately, self-discipline is almost nonexistent in this city, where - for example - everyone violates traffic rules, including the educated and law enforcers.
Many Jakartans show no remorse when violating laws or government regulations. Let’s be honest for a second, do we belong to this shameless group or to the law-abiding Jakartans?
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued a fatwa declaring smoking in public spaces, and by children and pregnant women haram (prohibited). But who cares about the edict, when people know so many religious leaders smoke wherever they want?
The city government plans to conduct massive raids against smokers in public places. Very few people believe the raid plan will be effective. We can cite hundreds of reasons to blame the government, cigarette producers and others, with the government holding responsibility for the chaotic situation when it comes to smoking in the city.
Jakarta is truly a safe haven for smokers. It is not an exaggeration to say it is more difficult to find places where smokers cannot light a cigarette and blow their smoke in other people’s faces, than where smokers are strictly – and effectively – prohibited from giving in to their deadly nicotine addiction. It is not difficult to find cases where people still smoke while staring into nonsmoking signs or holding babies in their arms.
Who should we blame for this shameful practice? We are all very quick to point the finger at the government. Many Jakartans say the city authorities have failed to implement the bylaw on air control, although it was enacted five years ago. People still defy the smoking ban - although it is punishable with a six-month prison sentence and fines of up to Rp 50 million - because the government does not have the courage or willpower to uphold the law. Others blame the central government for its overzealous protection of cigarette producers, because the tobacco industry brings so much income into government coffers.
Ridwan Pandjaitan announced the air pollution control regulation would be fully implemented this month. The city agency has conducted several raids against illegal smoking since November. Apart from the penalty and imprisonment, the city authorities have repeatedly warned they would cancel companies’ business permits should they fail to abide by the smoking law.
But let’s start by disciplining ourselves. For smokers, this entails remembering each time they take a puff on their cigarette and blow smoke out of their mouth, it is a danger to other people.
When smokers and other law breakers start to feel a little shame, our city Jakarta will be a better place for all.
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