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Government to rid liquor from Papua
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Members of the Navy's elite frogmen command (Kopaska) and a sea security force from the Western Fleet Quick Response IV check the cargo of the KM Kawal Bahari 1 and the KM Kharisma Indah at Lantamal IV Port in Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands, on March. 20. The two boats were arrested after sailing from Singapore, hiding 500 sacks of sugar, 1,000 sacks of rice, 50 boxes of cigarettes, 4,000 cases of alcohol and several other commodities. (Antara/M. N Kanwa)
P
apua administration plans to finalize its draft bylaw on the distribution, production and sale of liquor, a senior official said on Monday.
Papua city secretary Hery Dosinaen said the administration had no intention to cancel the draft bylaw, adding that the administration would proceed on the planned liquor ban.
“We need some revisions, including on Article 9 in the draft bylaw as we need to omit some clauses,” Hery was quoted by Antara in Jayapura.
Hery said the bylaw would prohibit the distribution, production and sale of all alcoholic drinks, including those with an alcohol content lower than 5 percent.
"We will get rid of local liquor, including those with alcohol [content] below 5 percent, from the land of Papua,” he said.
Previously, a number of concerned businesspeople in Jayapura, Papua, protested Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe’s policy on the ban.
They are set to file a lawsuit against the policy with the Jayapura State Administrative Court (PTUN) as they consider it contradicts existing regulations.
“We will file a lawsuit with the PTUN against the governor over his alcoholic beverage confiscation procedures, which just looks like expropriation because it can be conducted without a warrant, while we have a legal permit for distributing alcoholic beverages,” said Jason Muabuay, head of the Association of Alcoholic Beverage Vendors and Night Entertainment Owners in Jayapura last month.
Jason expressed his concerns during a meeting at the Jayapura Legislative Council, which was attended by a number of alcoholic beverage businesspeople and distributors, as well as hotel owners and administrators. In the meeting, they conveyed their disappointment over the confiscations and searches conducted by a task force formed by Enembe.
Businesspeople in Jayapura say alcohol sales have dropped sharply since the task force intensified liquor searches in entertainment venues and alcohol warehouses.
However, some Jayapura residents applauded Enembe’s policy, saying that since alcohol searches were conducted, very few drunken people could be found on Jayapura's streets.
“I take passengers to the airport every morning. I used to often see drunken people, some even passed out on the street, but in the last several days, I haven’t seen any,” said Yonas, a driver.
“Now, I [feel safe enough to] take a morning walk on the street because there is no more drunken people. I usually take walks only in areas near my house,” said Ludia, a local resident.
Separately, Enembe said he did not fear the association’s plan to file a lawsuit against him. “I’m not afraid. We made this policy because we have a special bylaw, which clearly regulates alcohol distribution. If they want to sue me, just go ahead,” said the governor. (dmr)
