Making a Row of 120 Million Nahdliyin, Rois Syuriyah PBNU and Other Stakeholders Reject the Revision of PP 109/2012

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government's plan to revise Government Regulation Number 109 of 2012 concerning the Protection of Materials Containing Addictive Substances in the Form of Tobacco Products for Health has drawn criticism from several circles. This plan is contained in Presidential Decree Number 25 of 2022 concerning the 2023 Government Regulation Formulation Program which was stipulated on December 23, 2022.

PBNU's Rois Syuriyah, KH. M. Azizi Chasbulloh strongly rejects the plan to revise PP 109/2012. This is because there are 120 million members of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) who depend on tobacco for their lives, ranging from small businessmen's economic development efforts to labourers and tobacco farmers.

"Even though it looks like cigarettes, the threat is macro, namely Indonesia. Remember, NU is the largest Islamic organization in the world with more than 120 million members. It is clear that if the government revises PP 109/2012 which is harmed by the people, it is NU that suffers the most for their livelihood", he said, in a written statement, quoted on Sunday, March 5.

KH. M. Azizi Chasbulloh reminded that NU has played a big role in establishing the history of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

"All those who founded RI were smokers, so don't forget it. And, NU has a big responsibility for economic growth in Indonesia, especially NU members", he said.

The existence of a unilateral claim by the health regime that smoking was the cause of death, received a rebuttal from KH. M. Azizi Chasbulloh. According to him, until today there are no victims died because of smoking. In fact, according to surveys, the average victim of the Coronavirus is a non-smoker. While there are smokers aged 90-100 years who are still healthy.

"Cigarettes are only used as a tool for health purposes. If the government is really serious about public health, why are there still lots of food, drinks, stamina enhancing drugs circulating which are clearly harmful to the kidneys but are allowed to circulate and be traded in shops and even still allowed to sponsor on television", he explained.

The East Java Association of Indonesian Advertising Companies (P3I) also rejected the revision of PP 109/2012.

"Representing advertising friends and creative friends from all over Indonesia, we agree with the Indonesian tobacco community to reject the revision of PP 109/2012", said East Java P3I chairman Haries Purwoko.

Based on P3I data, cigarette advertisements in 2022 will contribute Rp. 28 trillion. His party was surprised that there would be a 90 per cent pictorial health packaging regulation on cigarette packs.

"Then how about the sales? Surely we and our friends won't get any more. It's no longer necessary for the concepts of making good advertisements", he said.

It rectifies the claim that cigarette advertisements influence children to smoke. He said, if an advertising company is going to make a cigarette advertisement, the first step is to conduct a survey of whose target market it is. From the survey, a cigarette advertisement concept was created.

"The point is we are supporting the Indonesian tobacco community in rejecting the revision of PP 109/2012", he explained.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Association of Indonesian White Cigarette Producers (Gaprindo), Benny Wahyudi, said that PP 109/2012 which is currently in effect is good. According to him, if revisions are to be made, they must be discussed in depth and comprehensively.

"It has to start with a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA). We don't need to prove what the impact is, but please prove first that studies and good conditions will produce balance, and benefits for all stakeholders", he explained.

He warned that even if revisions were made at this time, the timing would not be right. In the midst of a pandemic that is still not over, the threat of recession, and the uncertainty of the dynamics of the regional and global situation will have an impact on the continuity of the IHT business climate in the country.

"So, I think we postpone it first, or we reject the revision of PP 109 of 2012. Use it, optimize it, the existing PP 109/2012 where socialization, monitoring and evaluation have not been carried out optimally", he said.