poledriver
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2005
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The party could be over in Bali as Indonesia considers banning alcohol
A RADICAL change could be coming to our favourite party island — and Australians aren’t going to like it.
Indonesia is considering a new law that would ban the production, distribution and consumption of alcohol across the country, including in Bali.
And while booze makers and sellers warn the move would crush Bali’s tourism industry, it may also fuel sly-grogging on the island — a deadly problem that claims tourists among its victims.
A bill to ban the sale, distribution and consumption of drinks containing more than one per cent of alcohol was introduced by two Islamicist parties, the United Development Party and the Prosperous Justice Party, and is being deliberated by Indonesia’s House of Representatives.
If passed, the law would be the first of its kind in Muslim-majority Indonesia.
There may be some exceptions to the booze ban for travellers, customary activities and religious rituals.
But the introduction of the bill has sparked uproar within Indonesia’s tourism and hospitality industries, which warn tourism would be crippled if the law was passed.
“If the bill is passed, our business will be done,” Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association head Hariyadi Sukamdani told the Jakarta Post.
“The tourists ... drink alcohol all the time. It will be very inconvenient for them if they can’t find alcohol.”
Indonesia has already made moves to restrict the availability of alcohol. Last year it outlawed the sale of alcohol in mini marts, despite an outcry from tourism and alcohol industries. Hariyadi said that alone had struck a blow to tourism, and travellers were already complaining about how difficult it was to find booze.
“No matter how beautiful the country is, if they can’t find alcohol, they won’t want to come here,” Hariyadi said.
In a desperate bid for compromise in the wake of the booze-ban bill, liquor sellers have begged the Indonesian government to consider tougher monitoring and control on the sale of alcohol, rather than full-blown prohibition.
Liquor sellers in West Java held an emergency meeting last week to discuss the new bill.
One woman, who said she made a living on selling beers, told the Post:“I don’t mind regulations. But don’t apply a total ban because it will kill my business. If you want to regulate selling, I would be ready to comply.”
Others have complained about raids on sellers who had liquor licenses that were difficult to obtain.
Indonesia’s beverage importers also warned their already ailing industry would be crippled if the law was passed.
Imported liquor contributes to up to 10 per cent of Indonesia’s liquor consumption and as many as 17 beverage importers and distributors are expected to collapse in the wake of a booze ban.
Cont -
http://www.news.com.au/travel/world...l/news-story/a89cf26b94c2d2377216f9e6f1acb6ca
A RADICAL change could be coming to our favourite party island — and Australians aren’t going to like it.
Indonesia is considering a new law that would ban the production, distribution and consumption of alcohol across the country, including in Bali.
And while booze makers and sellers warn the move would crush Bali’s tourism industry, it may also fuel sly-grogging on the island — a deadly problem that claims tourists among its victims.
A bill to ban the sale, distribution and consumption of drinks containing more than one per cent of alcohol was introduced by two Islamicist parties, the United Development Party and the Prosperous Justice Party, and is being deliberated by Indonesia’s House of Representatives.
If passed, the law would be the first of its kind in Muslim-majority Indonesia.
There may be some exceptions to the booze ban for travellers, customary activities and religious rituals.
But the introduction of the bill has sparked uproar within Indonesia’s tourism and hospitality industries, which warn tourism would be crippled if the law was passed.
“If the bill is passed, our business will be done,” Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association head Hariyadi Sukamdani told the Jakarta Post.
“The tourists ... drink alcohol all the time. It will be very inconvenient for them if they can’t find alcohol.”
Indonesia has already made moves to restrict the availability of alcohol. Last year it outlawed the sale of alcohol in mini marts, despite an outcry from tourism and alcohol industries. Hariyadi said that alone had struck a blow to tourism, and travellers were already complaining about how difficult it was to find booze.
“No matter how beautiful the country is, if they can’t find alcohol, they won’t want to come here,” Hariyadi said.
In a desperate bid for compromise in the wake of the booze-ban bill, liquor sellers have begged the Indonesian government to consider tougher monitoring and control on the sale of alcohol, rather than full-blown prohibition.
Liquor sellers in West Java held an emergency meeting last week to discuss the new bill.
One woman, who said she made a living on selling beers, told the Post:“I don’t mind regulations. But don’t apply a total ban because it will kill my business. If you want to regulate selling, I would be ready to comply.”
Others have complained about raids on sellers who had liquor licenses that were difficult to obtain.
Indonesia’s beverage importers also warned their already ailing industry would be crippled if the law was passed.
Imported liquor contributes to up to 10 per cent of Indonesia’s liquor consumption and as many as 17 beverage importers and distributors are expected to collapse in the wake of a booze ban.
Cont -
http://www.news.com.au/travel/world...l/news-story/a89cf26b94c2d2377216f9e6f1acb6ca
