Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Tobacco farmers urge the government to reconsider plans to issue new regulations regarding tobacco products and e-cigarettes. They even plan to intensify their actions to reject and fight if the rule remains in effect.
This regulation is a derivative of Law (UU) No. 17/2023 concerning Health, in the form of a Government Regulation (PP). Currently, the Draft PP (health RPP) is still being drafted.
Quoting the presentation by the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) holding a Public Hearing on the RPP for the Health Law: Control of NCDs, Health of Vision & Hearing, Addictive Substances which was broadcast on the Ministry of Health’s YouTube account on September 20 2023, a number of main substances that will be regulated in the RPP include the production and import of tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, control and prohibition, provisions and prohibitions on advertising and sponsorship, as well as a number of regulations related to the sale of tobacco products and e-cigarettes.
The RPP will later require that every person who produces, imports and/or distributes tobacco and electronic cigarette products must have a permit in accordance with statutory provisions.
“For farmers, this RPP on health is a dark cloud or a deadly wave on the tobacco economy. And, during the preparation of this RPP, farmers were asked for very little input. This RPP seems to have been forced to be approved by all elements,” said General Chair of the Indonesian Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI) Agus Parmuji in Consumer Reports Closing Bell CNBC Indonesia, quoted Wednesday (22/11/2023).
“For almost 2 years we have been trying to go to the government, send a letter to the president, asking that this RPP not be continued,” he added.
Agus said that the ban and tightening of cigarette advertising would have a direct impact on the companies concerned.
“But if the downstream industry is stalled due to this regulation, the negative impact will be that our harvest will also be stalled, not bought. If it is not absorbed, tobacco farmers will be weak and destroyed,” he said.
“For the past 7 years, we have been affected by regulations in the kretek tobacco industry. If this RPP continues to be enforced, we will automatically move to demand justice from the government. Because the government is so determined to suppress us. Even though we are also legal citizens, “part of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika,” said Agus.
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
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