Recently the Jakarta admin. issued a smoking ban at public places.
As a non-smoker, I really think it's about time that changes are made for smoking publicly. I guess it's more related of courtesy.
The "puffs" have to learn to respect the non smokers and the environment. The society is so used to having smokers light up anywhere they want, it's part of our culture. And definitely shaping them into "i am addicted to nicotine, i have to puff right here right now and nobody can stop me" kinda atittude. It's gonna be very difficult to break. Unless the admin. plan a clever campaign to educate people about the hazards of smoking and its' effects.
What's important now is to keep city residents well informed instead of enforcing the ban to the people who don't see the aim of it.
an interesting article...
A crime when smoke gets in your eyes
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Two little birds perching on a tiny twig are having a chat. One bird says: "They mean it." The other quickly replies: "No, they don't mean it."
"This time they really mean it," the first bird says through a twisted beak.
"Ah, yes they mean it this time, but not really."
These are probably the kind of boomeranging thoughts shared by Jakartans who have been following the news of the much-praised air pollution bylaw during the last few weeks, particularly its key article banning smoking in restricted places.
Last Thursday was no doubt one of the most hectic days in recent memory for officers from the city's public order agency, as they patrolled the streets, malls, parking lots and public buses to catch those who dared to light up a cigarette in these now no-smoking areas.
But we know that such get-tough measures are only possible if Governor Sutiyoso and God wish. After all, they are the only ones who know when antismoking raids will take place -- periodically, regularly or at the whim of the governor. Administration officials were unable to answer a simple question like: "Will there be massive raids like the ones Thursday in the coming days or weeks or months?"
It depends on orders from our superiors, they answered.
Enough with this ABS culture, short for Asal Bapak Senang (which loosely translates to as long as the boss pleases).
If the smoking ban is part of a bylaw, it must be enforced at all costs. And please don't run out the standard excuse of budget problems.
Experience shows us that in Indonesia laws and outlaws are brothers. As soon as a new law is introduced, people start thinking about how they can break it. Thus, the smoking/no-smoking signs that have been slapped up around the city are unlikely to be effective tools for upholding the law.
Above all, it is a good thing to ban smokers from public places, to teach them to respect nonsmokers. It is the global trend now, with London, New York, Riyadh and other large cities around the world taking a tough stance on smokers. This might explain why Jakarta has decided to follow suit.
It is common here to see impulsive smokers, who cannot help but light up a cigarette even when they are in close proximity with newborns, pregnant women or inside air-conditioned offices.
For those who use the city's public transportation system, one of the daily tortures is drivers enjoying a cigarette inside their packed buses.
The main goal of the smoking ban may be to educate smokers about respecting the right of others to breathe clean air, but the city can also begin pursuing the noble goal of discouraging people from smoking, a habit that does much more harm than good.
Simply imposing a fine of between Rp 20,000 (about US$2.20) and Rp 50,000 will not deter people from smoking in public places. That amount is about the equivalent of lunch, plus cigarettes and coffee. So, maybe judges should also order offenders of the bylaw to pay a visit to a health clinic to have their lungs checked. This way the offenders will be able to see for themselves the damage they are doing to their bodies. Maybe then they will think twice before asking, "Do you have a lighter?"
Hopefully, over the next year we will see a remarkable drop in the number of smokers here.
The little bird cracks a joke over an after-lunch cigarette that the only ones who will benefit from the ban -- if it is not properly implemented -- will be the vendors of the exhaust fans and ashtrays installed in the new special smoking rooms in public buildings. Can there be anything more cynical than that?
No comments:
Post a Comment