Yogyakarta Intensifies The Socialization Of Regulations Regarding Smoking Free Areas

A designated smoking area is prepared in the Malioboro area, Yogyakarta (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Yogyakarta City Government is intensifying the socialization of local regulations regarding smoking-free areas and giving awards to government agencies that carry out these provisions well.

"Socialization is still being carried out because the aim is to raise awareness to the public to smoke in designated places," Deputy Mayor of Yogyakarta Heroe Poerwadi said in Yogyakarta, Sunday.

In addition, he continued, the city government evaluated the implementation of Regional Regulation (Perda) Number 2 of 2017 concerning No-Smoking Areas (KTR) and gave awards to government agencies that implemented the regulation properly.

The Perda KTR covers office environments, health service places, educational places, children's playgrounds, places of worship, public transportation, public places, and other places determined by the government.

"Including in tourist destinations. The comfort and safety of visitors must take precedence. One of them is making sure smokers smoke in a designated place, "said Heroe.

A tourist spot that has just been designated as an KTR and is expected to become a pilot for other tourist attractions is Malioboro.

Head of the Malioboro Technical Implementation Unit Ekwanto said, there are still many smokers who smoke carelessly and then throw their butts carelessly in Malioboro.

"We will try to intensify socialization through community radio in the Malioboro area. We will announce via radio not to smoke carelessly but to take advantage of the designated smoking area, "he said.

Socialization, he continued, must be carried out regularly because tourists and visitors to Malioboro always keep changing.

"Jogoboro will also be asked to remind visitors to comply with KTR regulations. We are limited to reminding us that we cannot take action or impose sanctions because regulations do not allow it, ”he said.

Heroe emphasized that the Perda KTR does not prohibit smoking, but rather regulates that residents smoke in designated areas.

Smokers who violate the provisions regarding KTR can be subject to sanctions in the form of a maximum imprisonment of one month and a maximum fine of IDR 7.5 million.