Jakarta Urged to Prioritize Smoke-Free Area Draft Bill

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) has again urged the draft regulation on the smoke-free area to be included in the list of priorities under the 2020 city's legislative program.

YLKI’s researcher Eva Rosita said the draft bill had been registered in the regional legislative program since 2015, yet it had not been passed until now.

“The regional bill nearly completed in 2015. It only awaited signings,” said Eva during a hearing meeting at Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD) building, Wednesday, November 20.

Eva lamented the long discussions of the proposed bill, while based on the basic health study, the number of child smokers gradually climbed. In 2013, it amounted to 7.3 percent and jumped to 9.1 percent in 2018.

Besides keeping children from the exposure of cigarette, Eva added that the regional regulation would keep passive smokers safe as well.

As for the smoking restriction, according to her, Jakarta so far depended on the Regional Regulation No. 2/2005 on air pollution. However, the policy was not fully applied, and the fine up to Rp50 million for violators was useless.

“The fine is too high. It is necessary to draft special regulation to make the restriction effective,” Eva remarked.

Taufik Hidayat from the Tobacco Control Commission seconded Eva’s statement, adding that Jakarta should have had a law on the smoke-free zone.

Meanwhile, the deputy head of Jakarta Regional Regulation Formation Body, Dedi Supriadi, pledged to pass the suggestion of prioritizing the discussion on the bill of smoke-free area.

The PKS faction member explained the policy did not aim at banning people from smoking, but rather limiting areas for smoking.

IMAM HAMDI