Governor Koster Asks Officers Not To Be Afraid To Close Sugar Wine Factory In Bali

Governor of Bali Wayan Koster (second from right)/DOK Bali Provincial Government

DENPASAR - Bali Governor Wayan Koster asked Satpol PP officers and the Bali Province Industry and Trade Office and Karangasem Regency to close the production of sugar wine which is increasingly mushrooming in Karangasem Regency.

"I ask the Head of Industry and Trade and the Bali Province Satpol PP together with the Karangasem Regency to immediately close the sugar wine production, and don't be afraid to go to the production site and close it," said Koster, in a written statement, Monday, February 21.

There are a number of reasons why Koster asked for strict action against sugar wine production factories. First, sugar wine, threatens the tradition and sustainability of Balinese fermented or distilled beverages with local raw materials. Second, it threatens the welfare of the farmers and arak artisans, because it harms market prices.

Third, it kills the taste and branding of Balinese wine and endangers public health.

The reason is that in the distillation of sugar wine it contains synthetic yeast made from chemicals. This is of course contrary to the Bali Governor's Regulation Number 1 of 2020 concerning Governance of Balinese Fermented and/or Distilled Drinks.

"Once again, don't be afraid, because we have to protect the great and the nobler. Because I heard that the sugar wine producers are still committing violations. Don't let this be like this, do we have the heart to destroy our ancestral heritage? Do we have the heart to destroy traditional arak production? we have been doing it for generations and give an extraordinary taste until it is known. Where is our responsibility as individuals only to seek profit and endanger people's lives, "said Koster.

In addition, Koster also disseminated the implementation of the Bali Governor's Regulation (Pergub), Number 1 of 2020 concerning the management of Balinese fermented and/or distillate drinks and facilitated distillation equipment to groups of Balinese fermented or distillated drink crafters in the Karangasem area.

Koster said that from the time he accepted the aspirations of Balinese wine farmers, until he created the Bali Governor Regulation and as the Governor of Bali, he admits that he has never stopped campaigning for Balinese wine, not only to the people who visit the Governor's office in Jayasabha, Denpasar. However, it was introduced to national guests, so that the ambassador was also invited to drink coffee without sugar filled with Balinese wine.

"In the future, I will give souvenirs in the form of Balinese wine products to guests who make working visits to the Bali Provincial Government," he added.

Koster also said that his party continues to work on developing the potential of Balinese Arak from upstream to downstream, starting with preserving the Jaka, coconut, and gum trees, which in fact are capable of producing the famous arak in Bali.

Meanwhile, on the downstream side, the Bali Provincial Government has succeeded in inviting the Marriott Hotel group to use Balinese wine as a serving drink at 23 hotels on the Island of the Gods, in accordance with Bali Governor Regulation Number 99 of 2018 concerning the marketing and utilization of agricultural, fishery and local Balinese industrial products.

"The Marriott Hotel Group has collaborated with Perusda Tabanan and Perusda Bangli to utilize local Balinese rice, local Balinese eggs, Balinese wine and I invite you to use traditional Balinese traditional salt. For this reason, supermarkets and modern markets must welcome this. participate in selling local Balinese products in order to realize the vision of Nangun Sat Kerthi Loka Bali through a universally planned development pattern towards a new era of Bali," said Koster.