REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- A lawmaker has expressed hope that the government would be consistent with its decision to approve the Bill on Tobacco to be included in the National Legislation Priority Program for discussion in 2017. "The House of Representatives (DPR) is still awaiting the government's letter on its delegation to discuss the Bill on Tobacco with the DPR," Mukhammad Misbakhun, a member of Commission XI of the DPR, noted in a written statement here on Saturday.

Misbakhun remarked that the government should stay committed to its approval of the Tobacco Bill, so that it could be deliberated in the DPR. Misbakhun said that the health minister's concern could be included in the list of items submitted by the government, so that it could be brought up during deliberations.

The Golkar Party politician affirmed that the essence of the bill is to protect the Indonesian tobacco farmers who, so far, have no legal umbrella, particularly regarding the presence of overseas tobacco products or cigarette companies. "Indonesian tobacco farmers should not be marginalized owing to the influx of tobacco and cigarette products from other countries," Misbakhun pointed out.

According to the legislator, the Bill on Tobacco is necessary to regulate integrated tobacco management from upstream to downstream. The management should cover various aspects, such as cultivation, production, tobacco industry, distribution, trade, health, and control on the consumption of tobacco.

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