TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Consumer`s Foundation (YLKI) urged state railway company KAI to take down cigarette advertisements displayed in several train stations. YLKI chairman Tulus Abadi said his foundation commonly received public complaints regarding the commercial in those areas.
“YLKI urges KAI president director to annul the agreement with tobacco industry related to cigarette ads in stations and remove the already displayed ones,” said Tulus in a written statement on Wednesday, Oct 24.
Tulus opined such ads in train stations was a serious setback for the state-owned railway operator. “This issue has been removed during the era of Pak Jonan (Ignasius Jonan) as KAI director.”
Read: Tobacco Industry Targets Regions Following Ads Bans in Jakarta
According to Tulus, the complaints were mostly coming from KAI consumers in the operation area of Yogyakarta. The stations displaying smoke commercials were Tugu, Lempuyangan, and Solo Balapan.
“They say it is the central regulation because of the MOU between PT KAI and tobacco industry,” said Tulus, who deemed the partnership was a violation.
Tulus explained train stations were the non-smoking areas where advertisements and promotions of cigarette were prohibited to be placed. “This is regulated in Article 115 of Law No. 36/2009 on Health and Government Regulation (PP) No. 109 of 2012 on tobacco control for health and Regional Decree on KTR or smoke-free areas in Indonesia.”
Therefore, Tulus went on, should KAI take the side of its consumers, the firm would consider consumers’ aspirations. He then appealed to KAI to be more creative in seeking revenue legally without violating consumers’ rights.
Responding to the criticism, KAI delivered its thanks. “That will be our next evaluation topic,” said KAI spokesman Agus Komaruddin. The railway company, he added, would follow the government’s policy in light of cigarette advertisement.
CAESAR AKBAR
