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Heated debate continues on alcohol prohibition bill
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Illegal commodity – Customs and Excise officers destroy illegally imported alcoholic beverages in Surabaya, East Java, on Sept. 14. (Antara/Moch Asim)
The deliberation of the alcohol prohibition bill has continued to ignite heated debate among lawmakers and industry players.
"In principle, the ongoing dynamics have been divided into two main concerns, in which the first, and most intense, is on the title of the bill. The second one is how we can adopt all inputs pushed by the government," Achmad Mustaqim, the House of Representatives’ alcohol prohibition bill working committee (Panja) member from the United Development Party (PPP) faction, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
The lawmaker said the bill’s title had become the main debating point among three groups. The first group, he said, defended the use of the word "prohibition" while the other group rejected the use of the word and instead pushed for the use of the phrase "control and regulation" in the title. Meanwhile, the third group agreed with the use of "prohibition" as long as a specific explanation on the total alcohol ban was stipulated in one specific chapter of the law.
Achmad highlighted that the draft law was composed by taking into account various relevant national aspects, such as Indonesia’s geographical conditions and its demographic components and philosophical and religious values.
Indonesian Malt Beverage Producers Association (GIMMI) executive committee member Ronny Titiheru said he supported the government's initiative to ensure legal certainty in the alcohol beverage industry.
"We are ready to cooperate with the government to support it in the context of controlling and regulating alcoholic beverages," Ronny said. The industry had suggested, he said by way of example, that the government raise the minimum drinking age to 21 years old and strengthen public campaigns on drinking responsibly. (ebf)
