TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Supreme Court issued a decision favouring a lawsuit filed by six individuals against the Industrial Minister Regulation No. 63/2015 (Regulation). The Supreme Court ordered the Industrial Minister to repeal the Regulation because it is considered to be in contradiction with five higher laws and regulations.
The six individuals; M. H. Panjaitan, Hery Chariansyah, H. Kartono Mohamad, Hias Dwo Untari Soebagio, Widyastuti Soerojo, and Elysabeth Ongkojoyo, argued that the Regulation, which aims to increase cigarette production by five to 7.4 percent by 2020, will increase the number of cigarette production capacity to 524.2 billion by 2020.
Nina Samidi, Communication and Media Relation officer of the National Commission for Tobacco Control stated that the increase will indirectly increase public consumption of cigarettes. Nina said that the increasing consumption needs to be monitored because it will affect children and the Indonesian public.
Nina argued that cigarette consumption will present severe consequences for the country's future, not only to health conditions, but also economic, social and environmental conditions.
The plaintiffs, Nina said that the lawsuit could serve as a momentum to change the government's mindset not to put economic profits forward, but to prioritize its responsibility on enforcing human rights.
"We need to appreciate the Supreme Court for granting our objections. The decision is a good decision and will have significant effects toward the country's future," said Todung Mulya Lubis, a senior advocate who leads the plaintiff in the lawsuit.
Lily Sriwahyuni Sulistiyowati, Director of Prevention and Control for Non-Transmitted Disease of the Health Ministry said that the Ministry has been attempting to put its best effort to reduce the number of cigarette prevalence. On the other hand, the Regulation is considered to be in contradiction with the Ministry’s roadmap to reduce the number of smokers.
"Therefore, with the Supreme Court's decision, we hoped that there will be no efforts to [ignore] the greater good, which is public health," Lily said.
LARISSA HUDA
