PKS Harshly Criticizes 'The Presidential Regulation,' This Former SBY Subordinate In Fact Supports: Many Countries Are Devastated By Religion Not Because Of Alcohol

Illustration (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Presidential Regulation No. 10 of 2021, which was signed by President Joko Widodo on February 2, has become the subject of a polemic in Indonesia. This polemic arises at points that regulate the legalization of liquor (alcohol) in Bali, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), North Sulawesi (Sulut), to Papua.

Apart from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which in the last few days has been strong in voicing criticism, several figures such as Amien Rais to the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) M. Cholil Nafis also made the same criticism.

According to M. Cholil, local wisdom cannot be used as an excuse to legalize liquor (alcohol).

In contrast to the critics, support for the Perpres Miras came from Ferdinand Hutahaean. Through his Twitter account, @FerdinandHaean3, the former subordinate of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) in Democrats actually supported him.

For Ferdinand, the reason for moral degradation due to swaying alcohol is actually not right. In some countries that legalize alcohol, their citizens are just fine.

"There are several countries that produce alcohol legally and are well known. Its citizens have good moral, they are not drunk, their countries are developed and not destroyed like a country destroyed by a social and religious war. Meanwhile, alcohol is everywhere every day, prostitution is everywhere. but the hypocrites are extraordinary," said Ferdinand, Monday, March 1.

Take Russia, for example. According to Ferdinand, even though producing Medovukha, Vodka, Smirnoff which is worldwide, the morale of its citizens is still fine, the country is developed and rich and its people are more prosperous than us.

"As far as I know on this earth, not a single country has been destroyed due to the legalization of the alcoholic beverage industry and not a single one has been destroyed because of drunkenness,"

"But as far as I know, many countries have fallen apart because of wars based on religious drunkenness," said Ferdinand.

There are several countries that produce liquor legally and are well known. Its citizens have good moral, they are not drunk, their countries are developed and not destroyed like a country destroyed by wars over religion.

Meanwhile us, every day alcohol is everywhere, prostitution is everywhere, but the hypocrisy is extraordinary ...!

— Ferdinand Hutahaean (@FerdinandHaean3) March 1, 2021

The government has approved the liquor industry as a positive investment list (DPI) since this year. Previously, the liquor industry was known to fall into the closed business sector category.

The ratification is based on Presidential Regulation Number 10 of 2021 concerning the Investment Business Field. The regulation which is a derivative rule of Law (UU) Number 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation has been signed by President Joko Widodo and comes into effect as of February 2, 2021.

However, the approval to invest in this industry constitutes a new investment. This investment can only be made in the Province of Bali, Province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Province of North Sulawesi, and Province of Papua by paying attention to local culture and wisdom.

Chairman of the PKS Faction, Jazuli Juwaini, at the House of Representative of Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI) previously said that the alcohol investment policy was injuring the values of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

He added that the policy also contradicts the first principle of Pancasila, Believe in one ultimate God, and the second principle, namely Fair and Civilized Humanity.

In the first principle, all religions prohibit drinking because the harm is much more. Meanwhile, the second precept, strong drinking threatens the joints of civilized and dignified humanity because it damages physical, mental, intellectual, and mental health.