The
provincial legislature on the Indonesian resort island of Bali has passed a new
law which will soon ban smoking in all public places, the Jakarta Globe
reported on Monday. It is not yet known when the ban will go into effect.
The provincial legislature passed the new
bylaw on 'Anti-Smoking Areas' on Monday, forbidding smoking in tourism centers,
hotels, healthcare centers, schools, government offices, markets, entertainment
centers, airports and on public transportation. The advertisement and sale of cigarettes
is also forbidden in these areas.
"I want all people to be healthy and the
bylaw is an implementation of the 2009 Law on Health," Bali Governor Made
Mangku Pastika said, as quoted by the Jakarta Globe. "Regarding this
smoking ban in tourism centers, I think tourists will understand. Instead, it
is Bali's people who often do not understand."
Breaching this new bylaw carries a maximum
sentence of six months imprisonment or a fine of Rp 50 million ($5,450). It was
not immediately clear when the new law will go into effect, but a decision is
expected to be taken soon.
"The bylaw is definitely needed to
protect people from the dangers of smoking," said Utami Dwi Suryadi,
secretary of the bylaw committee. "It needs to be implemented seriously
and strictly. We need to educate people about the impacts of smoking."
The same bylaw was also passed earlier in the
Indonesian capital of Jakarta, but it has not been implemented effectively as
many people still smoke in banned places. Indonesian authorities also failed to
enforce the 2009 Health Law which includes limited regulation of cigarette
advertising.
According to the World Lung Foundation, more
than 60 percent of Indonesian men smoke and 30 percent of Indonesian youth have
smoked their first cigarette before they turn 10 years old. The Asian country
is one of only a few which have not yet ratified the Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control, which calls for comprehensive tobacco control regulations.
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Consulting, Investment and Management, focusing three main economic sectors: International PR; Healthcare & Wellness;and Tourism & Hospitality. We also propose Higher Education, as a bridge between educational structures and industries, by supporting international programs. Sign up with twitter to get news updates with @SaigonBusinessC. Thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment