I

have visited Indonesia many times, not because I really enjoy it but merely for family obligations, otherwise I'€™d rather stay in Thailand or Malaysia, where the atmosphere is freer and more enjoyable in spite of the sharia and where one is not deceived as often as in Indonesia.

Recently I read about the plan for a law in which every form of alcohol (including beer) will be forbidden and the penalties for the consuming or possession of alcohol will be equal to the possession of hard drugs.

Fantastic! Congratulations!

With the hypocritical justification that this law will save the youth, who otherwise would ruin their health with drinking orgies, it will take Indonesia one further step toward the middle ages and deprivation of personal freedom.

It was claimed that tourism would not suffer from this new regulation, as Malaysia has also forbidden alcohol and is visited by more tourists than Indonesia.

No, my dear lawmakers, this is not true. I was recently in Malaysia and I can assure you that in this country every tourist and non-Muslim can find and drink any quantity of alcohol without the risk of being put in prison or condemned to death.

The atmosphere in Malaysia is definitely more pleasant and lacks the depressed attitude one often finds in Indonesian public spaces and events.

Besides the effects on tourism, Indonesia should also consider the increased risks of illness or death from people drinking a glass of beer or a cocktail from local unregulated producers, contaminated with ethanol or other poisonous ingredients. This already happens frequently.

It is not for me, I can easily be without alcohol when I am in Indonesia or elsewhere, it is more my love and respect for freedom. I wish that Indonesia in the future will make a step forward rather than backward, I greet you all, both alcohol and water drinkers.

Marguerite Dubois
Jakarta