Vapeboss – The government's plan to revise Government Regulation Number 109 of 2012 (PP 109/2012) concerning the safety of materials containing addictive substances in tobacco products for health has once again been rejected. After previously being voiced by tobacco farmers and workers, this time the rejection came from a number of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) figures.

The reason for the rejection is considered to be due to significant foreign pressure in the plan to revise the regulation. This was revealed by several Nahdliyin Kyais after the Bahtsul Masail Diniyah or NU discussion forum at Pondok Pesantren Cangaan, Bangil, Pasuruan.

“The government must be honest before revising regulations or laws. Do not consider pressure from any party and then suddenly revise the regulations,” said Rais Syuriah PBNU, KH Azizi Hasbullah, as quoted on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.

This forum is part of the series of the One Century Harlah of NU. One of the rejecting figures, Kyai Azizi, believes that the plan to revise PP 109/2012 must consider the situation and conditions in society. He explained that unfair treatment of tobacco needs to be addressed first rather than revising PP 109/2012. This is because the NU Kyais believe that changes in tobacco regulations will have a negative impact on farmers and tobacco workers.

On another occasion, the Chairman of the Indonesian People's Economic Committee (KERIS), Ali Mahsun, stated that the discourse on revising PP 109/2012 has consequences of injustice for the economic conditions of small people because many traders will be affected and potentially lose their source of income due to this policy.

"This plan to ban the sale of individual cigarettes was issued without considering other aspects. The prevalence of child smokers and the sale of individual cigarettes do not have a significant correlation," he said.

Source: Viva