Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, who is widely regarded as a liberal when it comes to alcohol regulation, criticized the Trade Ministry’s minimarket beer ban that officially came into effect today.
“We don’t have a problem [with the ban]. But it makes life difficult for the people, soon a black market [trade in alcohol] will become a problem,” Ahok said at City Hall today, as quoted by Merdeka.
Ahok believes the people will get what they want and that there’s only so many regulations the government can enforce.
“[Motorcyclists] not wearing helmets can’t be arrested, right? Drug traffickers from inside prisons can’t be arrested. That’s the [same] problem [with the beer ban], but we’re just going to go along with it,” Ahok said.
The governor is asking authorities to be extra vigilant to prevent an outbreak of underground alcohol being sold as a result of the minimarket beer ban.
Reader Interactions