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Alcohol producers brace for regulation, reject prohibition
Certain House of Representatives factions are seeking to resurrect a long-stalled alcohol prohibition bill.
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As certain House of Representatives factions seek to resurrect a long-stalled alcohol prohibition bill, alcoholic beverage companies are preparing for additional regulations but oppose outright prohibition. (AFP/Asif Hassan )
A
s certain House of Representatives factions seek to resurrect a long-stalled alcohol prohibition bill, alcoholic beverage companies are preparing for additional regulations but oppose outright prohibition.
Of the 21 lawmakers that spearheaded the effort to revive the bill, 18 were from the Islam-based United Development Party (PPP), two were from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and one was from the nationalist Gerindra party. They requested that the House Legislation Body (Baleg) resume deliberations on the bill, which was put on hold in 2016.
Indonesian Alcoholic Beverages Producers Association (APBMI) head Stefanus said that in principle, he was not opposed to the supervision and control of alcohol – if that was what the House aiming for.
“But we should not fully prohibit alcoholic beverages. If we do the latter, we will be like America in the early 1900s when liquor was prohibited. The result was that illegal [alcoholic] products boomed, causing problems with the police and even the formation of mafias,” Stefanus told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
He said the total prohibition of alcohol would hurt restaurants, cafés and tourism-related businesses, which employed a number of people and were already struggling.
Indonesian Malt Beverage Producers Association (GIMMI) executive committee member Ika Noviera said the association was monitoring the deliberation of the bill. She declined to comment further.
Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) chairman Gomar Goltum was not in favor of the possible ban.
