Shock therapy for ignorant smokers in Senen district

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 05/01/2009 2:56 PM  |  City

Bus driver Rantoni, 32, was puffing on his cigarette while driving when several public order officers suddenly stopped his bus at Senen Bus Terminal in Central Jakarta on Thursday morning.

"Pak, you are not allowed to smoke in public places according to the 2005 bylaws on air pollution. You will face a *maximum* six-month jail sentence or fines of up to *Rp* 50 million *US$4,604*," said Priyono, one of the officers.

Perplexed, Rantoni claimed he did not know about the regulation as he only came to Jakarta last week from his hometown in North Sumatra.

The officers ignored his excuse and led him to the Senen subdistrict office for a brief trial. The judge fined him Rp 24,000 for violating the bylaw.

Rantoni was not alone. The Central Jakarta municipality and the City Environment Management Board (BPLHD) launched Thursday's random raid at several public areas to catch people violating the bylaw. At least 20 smokers were caught and faced trials.

The fine they were given was much lower than the maximum stipulated in the bylaw, but it was still a lot for Rantoni.

"I have found it very difficult to make money here. I need money to foot a hospital bill for my daughter, but my daily income is too meager even to buy lunch," he said.

Another smoker, Sarsani, 30, a bus crew, lost his daily income when paying the fine. "I might have to borrow money from friends just to buy lunch," Sarsani said.

Central Jakarta Mayor Sylviana Murni, said the raid was carried out as a shock therapy. "Today's raid is meant to discourage people from smoking in public places."

The bylaw stipulates smoking is prohibited in certain public areas, such as office buildings, medical centers and on public transportation. Besides Senen Bus Terminal, the administration also carried out raids at the Aston Hotel, the Army Hospital and the Ministry of Finance parking lots, as well as at a privately owned high school. Most of the people arrested were bus drivers.

The administration has been criticized for failing to impose the bylaw since it was endorsed in 2005. Last month, BPLHD's Head of Law Enforcement Ridwan Panjaitan admitted the civil servant investigators (PPNS) assigned to enforce the bylaws were still nervous about taking action against violators and required further training.

"They are still nervous. In Operasi Simpatik, they *the PPNS* were not sure what to do," Ridwan said, referring to an operation conducted by the agency in November last year where the investigators only reprimanded the violators. No smokers were incarcerated or fined as a result of the operation.

"After the raid in Central Jakarta, we will launch similar raids in West and South Jakarta," BPLHD head Peni Susanti said, without detailing the schedule. (nia)

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.