Yogyakarta City Government Adds Special Space For Cigarettes In Malioboro

Atmosphere in the Malioboro area, Yogyakarta City. (ANTARA/Luqman Hakim)

YOGYAKARTA - The Yogyakarta City Government will increase the number of special rooms for smoking in Malioboro considering that there are still many residents or visitors who smoke carelessly throughout the tourist area.

"This does not mean that we allow smoking but to provide space for people who want to smoke but in one place that does not interfere with other activities in Malioboro," said Acting (Pj) Mayor of Yogyakarta Singgih Raharjo at Yogyakarta City Hall as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, February 1.

Since being designated as a non-smoking area (KTR) in 2020, Malioboro has owned a number of special places for smoking, namely on the first floor of the Abu Bakar Ali Parking Park, the north side of Malioboro Mall and on the third floor of Beringharjo Market.

Although socialization and education related to Regional Regulation Number 2 of 2017 concerning Non-Smoking Areas have been intensified, according to Singgih, there are still many tourists or residents who commit violations by smoking carelessly in the area.

"Although we have intensively carried out socialization and persuasive actions we continue to take, it turns out that there are still many violations," he said.

Therefore, according to Singgih, a location study will be conducted to add a special smoking place.

According to Singgih, special locations for smoking will not be provided along the Malioboro sidewalk because it will interfere with tourism activities.

"If possible, the fins (Malioboro) will enter a bit, of course, a simple study will follow to see the location," said Singgih.

The head of the Yogyakarta City Satpol PP, October Noor Arafat, said that during 2023 he had given a verbal warning to 2,923 residents who smoked in Malioboro. They consist of 457 residents and tourism service business actors, as well as 2,466 tourists from outside the city.

"So that on average every day there are eight people who are reprimanded by both ordinary smokers and 'vapes' or e-cigarettes. Our warning is still persuasive or verbal," he said.

Although the prosecution is still persuasive, Octo said specifically for business actors along the Malioboro area, yellow cards will be given when they are known to smoke carelessly in the area because they are considered to have known about the regulation for a long time.

When the official strict sanctions are imposed, according to him, violators of Regional Regulation (Perda) Number 2 of 2017 concerning Non-Smoking Areas (KTR) are threatened with a maximum fine of IDR 7.5 million or a maximum imprisonment of one month.