The Indonesian
government has not yet discussed whether it will ratify the Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), as it is still hemmed-in between
economic benefits of tobacco and protecting the publics health.
In order to protect the peoples health from the risks of tobacco,
the government has launched a campaign banning smoking in public
locations. It has also issued Regulation No. 109, 2012 which bans the
sale of cigarettes to youths below 18 years old.
But all this has not had a significant impact, reduced the number of
smokers or discouraged people from smoking in public. After all, the
tobacco industry is a main source of the countrys income. At least 6.1
million people work in cigarette industries or as tobacco farmers.
In 2012 and 2013, for example, the country received at least Rp84
trillion and Rp85 trillion, respectively, in tobacco taxes.
So, from an economic point of view, tobacco is a source of revenue
for the state and income for millions of people, which is why the
government has not yet ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco.
According to Wikipedia, the World Health Organization Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is a treaty adopted by the 56th
World Health Assembly on May 21, 2003.It became the first World Health
Organization treaty adopted under article 19 of the WHO constitution.
The treaty came into force on February 27, 2005 and was signed by
168 countries. It is legally binding in 177 ratifying countries.
Indonesia, in a plan to ratify the convention, will spark
controversies between health supporters and those coming from the
tobacco industries and farmers.
Some argued that if all costs for all tobacco-related diseases and
other negative impacts of smoking are taken into account, the
governments spending would be larger than the amount of the cigarette
taxes it is receiving.
When controversies over tobacco use arose three years ago, Chairman
of the National Commission for Tobacco Control, Farid Anfasa Moeloek,
who was also a former health minister, said smoking has a direct impact
on the public's health and on the emergence of social ills, such as
drug addiction, alcoholism and violence.
The total cost of treatment of tobacco-related diseases and deaths
are higher than the total amount of receipts from tobacco and cigarette
taxes.
Farid also spoke of a study conducted in 2004 which revealed that
the government spent Rp127 trillion in 2001 on treatment of
tobacco-related diseases, while cigarette taxes collected in the same
year amounted to only Rp16 trillion.
"Tobacco consumption costs 7.5 times more than state income from tobacco excises," Farid noted.
Despite the argument, however, the Faction of the Nations Awakening
Party (FPKB) in the House of Representatives (DPR) rejected the
ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, as it would
be seen as a disadvantage to many people, since tobacco contributes to
the welfare of workers in the tobacco industry.
"Tobacco is a big income source in Indonesia. You can imagine,
there are about 6.1 million people working in the tobacco industries.
Ratifying the convention will kill them," Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri, the
FPKB secretary, said during a discussion at the Parliament building here
on Wednesday.
He said that the plan to ratify the FCTC needed to be reviewed,
because it would tighten control on the development of tobacco
industries at home. Farmers and workers who depend for their livelihood
on tobacco, which is the main ingredient in the production of
cigarettes, would become unemployed.
"What should be done if, for example, half of the 6.1 million people lost the sources of their income?" Dhakiri asked.
Apart from the benefits arising from the tobacco industries for
workers, tobacco industries are also able to survive amid the storm of
economic crisis. This is because, according to Dhakiri, almost all raw
materials, workers and tobacco production techniques are homemade.
"Just look at that, they are local raw materials, local workers,
local production means and local methods in the packing system. The
tobacco industry is the only industry which is able to survive the
economic crisis," the FPKB secretary said.
Dhakiri also reminded the government of the need for Indonesia to
offer priority to its national interest, if it wanted to show its global
commitment by ratifying the convention.
He said that if the treaty would harm the national interest,
including the interest of local farmers, the convention should be
rejected.
On the same occasion, political economic analyst Salamudin Daeng
expressed his opinion that the government should reconsider plans to
ratify the convention, as the convention regulates a wide scope of
issues.
"The FCTC regulates matters directly related to tobacco
agriculture, trade, intellectual property rights and other international
trade issues," Daeng noted.
Daeng argued that ratification of the convention will run counter
to the law on investment, agriculture, trade and intellectual property
rights (IPR).
Besides, it is also in opposition to international agreements
Indonesia has signed with other countries in the fields of trade and
investment.
What is sure, Daeng explained, is that the convention will restrict
the development of agriculture and industry, which is why it will
burden the countrys economic players and people, while benefiting
foreign capitalists who will eye tobacco and cigarette markets in
Indonesia.
"The ratification of the convention can directly ruin the countrys
tobacco agriculture and harm the existence of small and medium scale
business in the cigarette industries. As a result, it will trigger the
growth of an increasing number of poor people and hamper efforts to
achieve the development goals," Daeng explained.
Actually, the Indonesian government has not yet discussed a serious plan to ratify the convention.
Earlier, the tobacco control convention issue sparked reactions
from the public, entrepreneurs and farmers associations over the
advantages and disadvantages of restricting tobacco.
Indonesia is one of the countries that has not yet ratified the
convention because tobacco concerns the fate of millions of farmers,
though the government is also considering the health of the public.
"It has not yet been discussed specifically," Presidential Special
Staff for Economic Affairs Firmanzah said here on Wednesday.
Further, President Susilo Bamban Yudhoyono has not yet reviewed
significant matters relating to the ratification of the convention on
tobacco controls in Indonesia, he added.
He said that the President would discuss the issue once the
government has made a decision with regards to the Framework Convention
of Tobacco Control issue.
Sumber : Antara
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