Jakarta. The Indonesian Commission for Child Protection (KPAI) supports a bill being drafted at the House of Representatives that would ban — with some exceptions — the production, distribution, sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks across the nation.

“It is the time for the government to be decisive and to take action to protect Indonesian children from drugs and alcohol abuse,” KPAI head Asrorun Ni’am Sholeh told news portal detik.com on Wednesday.

Currently there are local laws that limit the distribution of alcoholic drinks in various parts of the country, and there is a ministerial regulation that recently went into effect that bans the sale of alcoholic beverages in convenience stores.

But according to the KPAI head, uniform nationwide legislation would make it easier to protect Indonesian children against alcohol abuse.

The draft bill, which is being pushed by two Islamic parties, has been submitted to the House Legislative Body, and is currently being refined.

“It was an idea from the United Development Party [PPP] and the Prosperous Justice Party [PKS],” Saan Mustopa, a member of the legislative body and Democratic Party lawmaker, told detik.com.

The proposed legislation seeks to ban all beverages with an alcohol content exceeding 1 percent and bring jail terms of up to two years for offenders.

Backers of the bill have previously said the proposed law was driven by concern for people’s health rather than any ideological motives. There is also a belief among some lawmakers that alcohol is fueling crime.

There will be exceptions to the proposed prohibition, however, with alcohol being allowed in tourist areas, for traditional events, and for “medical needs.”

Indonesia banned the sale of alcoholic beverages in convenience stores and other small shops last month, sparking concern among some officials that a nation-wide regulation could hurt tourism.

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Source: The Jakarta Globe