Against Cigarette Discrimination, Smokers Establish LKRI

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A number of smokers established the Indonesian Cigarette Consumers Society (LKRI) in Semarang on Tuesday, November 21. The founders of the smoker’s society felt the need to be the voice of smokers that they claim have been discriminated.

They said that government policies have also been discriminative towards active smokers, considering that this group of people is not covered by the state healthcare insurance (BPJS).

“The state can’t just cut the ties to its consumers as the clients who pay the premium that also must be funded,” said the Chairman of LKRI Agus Condro Prayitno during its declaration in Semarang. 

Read: Govt Increases Cigarette Excise Tariff by 10.04 Percent

According to Agus, LKRI was established to defend smokers in Indonesia, who he claims have greatly contributed to the country. He explained that the government is able to generate Rp135 trillion from cigarette’s tax but gets the least attention and the most government discrimination.

“We are proud of being smokers since we clearly contribute to the country,” said Agus.

Agus claims that the cigarette excise tax has reached 63 percent for the year-end goal of Rp138 trillion. The Finance Ministry has even decided to raise it to Rp148 trillion for 2018. Based on this fact, LKRI urged consumers who are smokers to fight for their rights as the country’s revenue contributor.

During the declaration, human rights activist Hendardi said that cigarettes and smoking are not a crime and have a huge implication towards domestic tobacco farmers. He suspects that the pharmaceutical industry is behind the numerous pressures against smokers and the cigarette industry.

“That is how the world’s anti-cigarette regime was born,” he claims.

Edi Faisol