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Issues of the day: Ahok slammed for statements on beer sales
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama - JP/DONApril 13, p9Jakarta Governor Basuki âAhokâ Tjahaja Purnama has been criticized for his remarks on beer, the sale of which has been prohibited in mini markets and convenience stores by the Trade Ministry
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Basuki Tjahaja Purnama - JP/DON
April 13, p9
Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama has been criticized for his remarks on beer, the sale of which has been prohibited in mini markets and convenience stores by the Trade Ministry.
The issue of alcoholic beverages first came to light during a budget evaluation meeting between the city administration and the Home Ministry, when the ministry's regional finance director general, Reydonnyzar 'Donny' Moenek, asked Ahok why the city administration still expected high income from alcoholic drink sales after the issuance of Trade Ministry Regulation No. 6/2015.
Regional Representatives Council (DPD) member representing Jakarta, Fahira Idris of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), criticized Ahok for his remarks, which she said were 'nonsense'. Through her Twitter account @fahiraidris, she published a series of tweets directed at Ahok.
Your comments:
It really makes sense when Ahok said that 'No one has ever died from drinking beer'.
I've never heard that either. Moderate amounts of alcohol can also help decrease anxiety and self-consciousness and improve your mood.
Beer in particular has plenty of nutrients, such as protein, B vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, iron, niacin and riboflavin.
The problem is the irresponsible drinking behavior that can cause lawlessness, not the beer. Other countries have strict regulation about drinking behavior. Maybe this country can focus on that too. Make the regulation, don't ban the product.
Bong Evi
Once you remove from people the opportunity to make choices, they stop thinking; and once they stop thinking, their intelligence begins to die.
Loro Blonyo
Ahok is absolutely correct on this issue. I admire his honesty and courage to speak out for what he believes. A lone voice, unfortunately. Where are the others with the backbone to stand up and speak the truth?
Deedee S
Oh yes PKS, of course. And still they won't admit that it is part of sharia implementation, but are rather blabbering around those mysterious 'health' factors.
Norris
There are health benefits from drinking beer in moderation. It is a source of vitamins and some research suggests it could protect against Alzheimer's disease. Ahok should have quoted this to make a stronger argument.
He didn't. That was his mistake. Fahira Idris is not a scientific or medical expert, she is an amateur and should be ignored. A weak argument based less on fact and more on ego.
Bruce
The government needs to stop babying its Islamic population and let them deal with temptation in their own way. How can you prove your faith when all temptation is removed?
Over-consumption of alcohol is dangerous and addictive; so is corruption and materialism. In Islam, the lesson is to not be intoxicated. Nothing is said about having a drink or two.
If most of the Indonesian people learned the Koran, they would know that.
This all comes down to religion, corruption and the lack of equality within the Indonesian government and its people.
InSantus
If you drink 10 bottles of beer a day, that might be dangerous. But if you drink 1-2 bottles in a week, or even once in two weeks or so, that actually helps the flow of blood in your body. That´s the research as far as I know.
What needs to be managed is irresponsible drinking behavior. The government has repeatedly said that it wants to boost tourism income. That´s just not going to work if they ban beer from convenient stores. Take a look at Sweden.
If people want to buy liquor or wine, they have to go to a special store managed by the state. Beers here are available in the supermarket and I rarely see anyone getting drunk on the street.
Simba
At least one politician has common sense in Indonesia. Jakarta is lucky to have Ahok.
If you're worried about health issues I'd be checking out the junk food and the absolute crap that gets put in it.
I've known moderate drinkers who live past 100 in the West and yet I see non-drinkers up here dying in their 40s and 50s from bad diet and zero exercise.
Nate
People in Europe, the US and Russia all drink beer, wine, vodka, etc. The Japanese drink sake.
They are all great people who produce excellent hi-tech inventions in math, physics, computers and so forth. I strongly believe that alcohol is good for mankind. I will keep on drinking my favorite beer and wine.
Robby Kaware
Regulate the behavior of irresponsible drinking, not alcohol. You don't ban the sale of knives and machetes just because there are more people dying or getting injured from violent crime.
Ngukzilla
