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‘Alcohol prohibition will be ineffective’
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A liquor shop employee in West Jakarta speaks to a customer. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)
E
xperts doubt an alcohol ban would result in the desired effect intended by the liquor prohibition bill and therefore they are urging lawmakers to consider alternative solutions that are in favor of consumers and producers.
Laws and regulations should keep in mind consumer rights, Indonesian Consumer Foundation member Sudaryatmo said, adding that: “If the banning of alcohol is intended for public good, lawmakers should act in perspective and emphasize the right to safety for consumers.”
Meanwhile, Indonesian retailers association deputy chair Tutum Rahanta noted the complicated content of the bill, such as dividing regions into those that completely banned alcohol and those where its circulation would be regulated.
He was skeptical about the effectiveness of its implementation. “Let’s see [the government] try to simulate it first, I want to see the logic in this, beginning from the production and distribution,” he said.
Tutum gave an example, saying that regulations banning the sale of alcohol in mini-markets were already in place, yet smaller and unofficial markets still sold alcohol.
A ministerial decree in 2015 allowed only supermarkets and hypermarkets to sell alcohol.
Sudaryatmo suggested instead a regulation should be enforced requiring companies to list the ingredients.
“It should be more informative for consumers, so they can make their own decisions about whether or not to buy something, this would also make consumers more mature,” Sudaryatmo said in a discussion in Jakarta on the alcohol prohibition bill currently being deliberated.
It was not necessary to ban alcohol, he added. (bbn)
