Nahdlatul Ulama Rejects Jokowi's Policy on Alcoholic Drink Investment
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1 March 2021 19:05 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Said Aqil Siradj has strongly objected to the Presidential Regulation or Perpres issued by President Joko Widodo or Jokowi that scraps the alcoholic drink industry from the negative investment list.
“We strongly disagree with the Presidential Regulation regarding alcoholic drink investment,” Said Aqil said in a written statement on Monday, March 1. He argued that the Holy Qur'an bans liquor as it was harmful.
He opined the government should pass policies that were beneficial to society. “The religion strictly prohibits it, so the government policy should suppress alcohol consumption instead of encouraging it to increase. If we want to invest in this alcoholic drink plan, then let’s not [play the blame game] if our nation is ruined,” he underlined.
As previous reports suggested, President Jokowi has issued the Presidential Regulation No. 10 of 2021 concerning the investment business sector, which is a derivative of the Job Creation Law.
One of the articles stealing the public limelight is the opening of investment in alcoholic drinks. The policy allows liquor investment in Papua, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Bali, and North Sulawesi. It also welcomes the potential of such investment in other regions.
Read: Alcoholic Drink Law Criticized by Indonesian Ulema Council
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