Anies' Letter To Bloomberg Concerning Cigarette Restrictions Is Criticized, DPRD: Why Didn't He Propose The Local Regulation To Us?

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan (Photo: Diah Ayu Wardani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission E of the DKI Regional Representative Council (DPRD) from the PDIP Party faction, Jhonny Simanjuntak, criticized the move by the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, who sent a letter to Michael Bloomberg regarding an invitation to collaborate on smoking restrictions.

Jhonny wondered why Anies sent an anti-smoking campaign letter to outsiders, instead of encouraging the DKI DPRD to immediately ratify the DKI Regional Regulation on Non-Smoking Areas (KTR).

This is because Anies sent the letter to Bloomberg in July 2019. He regretted that the drafting of the Regional Regulation on KTR was being processed slowly because it had been stagnant for years.

"If the governor sends the letter, in my opinion, it is better to first make a regional regulation (KTR). So, it's not enough just to write that letter. It's even more exciting if the provincial government pushes for a smoke-free regulation that can be realized," said Jhonny when contacted, Tuesday, October 4.

Actually, the preparation of the Regional Regulation on KTR was included in the DKI Regional Regulation Formation Program (Propemperda) at the end of 2020 to be ratified in 2021.

Unfortunately, said Jhonny, the draft Regional Regulation on KTR was not discussed this year. Possibly, the new KTR Regional Regulation will be discussed in 2022.

"The regional regulation will be discussed at least next year because I see there has been no push from the executive so that this Perda on No-Smoking Areas will be implemented," he said.

Previously, it was reported on social media that a letter was sent by the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan to Michael R. Bloomberg regarding an invitation to collaborate on an anti-smoking campaign.

Bloomberg is the founder of the Bloomberg Philanthrophies, which is said to have invested heavily in funding the tobacco control movement.

This letter was actually sent by Anies on July 4, 2019. However, it is currently being questioned because Anies issued a policy prohibiting cigarette advertisements in minimarkets and sent Civil service police (Satpol PP) to cover cigarette windows.

The following is the translation of Anies' letter to Bloomberg:

To Mr. Bloomberg,

I would like to congratulate you on your reappointment as the WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries.

WHO places Indonesia in third place in the world for the number of smokers. There are about 3 million active smokers in Jakarta and the number is increasing 1 percent every day. We believe that everyone has the right to be protected from exposure to secondhand smoke and to have access to clean air. Jakarta has initiated various efforts to prevent and protect the public from the adverse effects of the consumption of tobacco products.

Thanks to Bloomberg Philanthropies, Jakarta has joined the Healthy City Partnership with 54 other cities in 2017 and is committed to initiating non-communicable disease prevention programs. With support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Vital Strategies, and Smoke-Free Jakarta, Jakarta is 100 percent free of outdoor billboards about smoking and will continue to remove indoor tobacco advertising starting today.

We are committed to continuing the partnership for Healthy Cities through 2020 and increasing the compliance of No Smoking Areas from the current percentage of 32 percent to the targeted 90 percent. The city will ban indoor and outdoor advertising and display of tobacco at points of sale. We are currently in the process of finalizing the regulatory framework for the above objectives.

Finally, we believe that no program is sustainable without a strong monitoring and evaluation framework. Therefore, the assigned city leader, Mr. Zainal, Head of the Social Welfare Bureau, has organized a monitoring and evaluation workshop that will invite law enforcers from all relevant Dinas for a two-day training with experts.

Best wishes to you and I look forward to the collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies.