Dear, Mr. Jokowi! Regions That Are Permitted By The Government To Legalize Alcohol Turn Out Refusing

Illustration (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 10 of 2021 which opens up investment in the liquor industry (alcohol) has invited public criticism.

Apart from religious groups such as the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), community leaders in three of the four regions mentioned in the regulation, namely East Nusa Tenggara, North Sulawesi, and Papua also refused.

This was conveyed by Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly, Hidayat Nur Wahid in a statement received by VOI, Monday, March 1.

"In Papua, DPD members from Papua and the Religious Working Group of the Papuan People's Council (MRP) have also expressed their rejection, because alcohol is considered to endanger the existence of the Papuan people,"

"The head of the Manado Metropolis Regional Police also said that alcohol was a trigger for increased crime in Manado, North Sulawesi. Meanwhile, in NTT there were also reports of a crime against a younger brother who because drunk alcohol had the heart to kill his own brother," Hidayat said.

Therefore, the DPR Commission VIII member in charge of religious affairs reminded President Joko Widodo to review the existence of the Presidential Regulation he signed.

This is because, he said, the position of the MRP is very important in the eyes of the Papuan people and in the provisions of the Papua Special Autonomy Law. Where Papua is the province that actually has a Government Regulation (Perda) on the Prohibition of Alcoholic Drinks.

"Based on the Papua Special Autonomy Law, the MRP is a cultural representation of indigenous Papuans, who have certain powers in the framework of protecting the rights of indigenous Papuans based on respect for customs and culture, empowering women, and strengthening religious harmony," explained the man familiarly called as HNW.

In the midst of the nation's problems that are still facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the deputy chairman of the PKS Syuro Council considered that the Presidential Decree which could bring this kind of noise should be closed and returned to the previous rules. Namely making the liquor industry a closed investment field.

It is known, recently the government has set the liquor industry as a positive investment list (DPI). Previously, the alcoholic beverage industry was a closed industrial sector.

The policy is contained in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 10 of 2021 concerning the Investment Business Sector. 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 will take effect as of February 2, 2021.

This rule is a derivative of Law Number 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation. In Appendix III of Presidential Decree Number 10 of 2021 in numbers 31, 32, and 33 it is stipulated that the liquor industry business sector contains alcohol, wine alcohol, and malt open for new investment in the Provinces of Bali, East Nusa Tenggara, North Sulawesi, and Papua by considering local culture and wisdom.