REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Governor of Jakarta Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama disagrees with plan on banning the sale of alcohol in the capital city. He argued that such move could trigger the existence of black market.
Previously, Minister of Trade Rachmat Gobel issued a ban on class A alcoholic drinks, which contain less than five percent of alcohol, from being sold in minimarkets. The regulation is under Trade Minister Regulation No. 06/M-DAG/PER/1/2015.
"We should discuss the matter further by looking into the history. The history says that when the sale of alcohol was banned, black market upsurged," he said on Tuesday, January 27. He took an example of early 1920 to 1931 in US when black market was created under Capone's mafia.
"They smuggled alcohol and other illegal activities, such as prostitution," he said. He concerned that if such ban was implemented, the sellers of class A alcohol smuggled other kinds of alcoholic drinks.
Ahok said that the best way to control alcohol was by implementing age limit to buy alcohol, which was 21. "We must sit down to discuss this matter. It can be a problem if we limit everything," he said.
Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika
