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Luke, heard about before.

It seems only in bigger supermarkets you (still) can get your beer but for how long ?

Maybe just a question of time that other spirits will be banned soon

As a non drinker, I really don't care but I'm concerned about the potential for marginalising minority groups.
Something about a thin end and a wedge.

However, I'm seeing more drunks on the streets than I've ever seen before, so I also have concerns there.
Odd as it seems, concentrations of street drinkers are commonly outside churches on Sunday evenings.
They proceed to drive their bikes and cars home. When I lived in BSD, I saw the twits every week.

The cure would seem to be  - find out where the drunks hang out and hammer them, not ban all sales.

This new regulation is getting a lot of laughs here in Bali.  The chain stores, like Circle K, will comply, but for the mom and pop warungs, it will be business as usual.

Really??? lol

That wedge is on the move.

A priority bill initiated by the House of Representatives has proposed banning all consumption of alcoholic beverages, with imprisonment of between three months and two years for anyone caught consuming alcohol.

The bill on the prohibition of alcoholic beverages, a copy of which has been obtained by The Jakarta Post, will put in place a ban on the sale, production, distribution and consumption of all beverages containing more than 1 percent alcohol.

I fully agree with the health and social issues involved, but this seems a lot more like trying to enforce religious rules on those of another ideal.
If that is the case, it's extremely dangerous.

"...but this seems a lot more like trying to enforce religious rules on those of another ideal."

BINGO!  You've got that right! 

And, much like the anti-pornography law (also stemming from "that" religion), this will never fly in Bali.

Woaaaaduuuhhhh.....if they really do that then what will be next ?

Tom, just like with the threat of mandatory bahasa Indonesia proficiency to obtain a work permit, this will go by the way side as well.  In fact, I can recall threats of this very same legislation being introduced as far back as my days living in Bali when Soeharto was President, and if I recall correctly, it came up again when Gus Dur was President. 

As for health risks, smarter heads will prevail and understand that it's the home made brews like arak and tuak (just to mention two) which pose a far greater health risk than alcoholic beverages that are either imported, or produced here under license.

And even smarter heads will understand the devastating effect any such law would have on Bali tourism.  Somehow when one puts a dollar cost on such nut job ideas, such notions quickly disappear.     And, since 99% of the police force on Bali are Balinese, this law would never be enforced here anyway...which is why nobody in Bali is giving this a second thought.

Ubudian wrote:

"...but this seems a lot more like trying to enforce religious rules on those of another ideal."

BINGO!  You've got that right! 

And, much like the anti-pornography law (also stemming from "that" religion), this will never fly in Bali.

A mate and I found his dad's extensive porn collection when we were 11.
I'd grown out of porn by 13.

However, whatever floats your boat.

Much as this is unlikely to get anywhere, I dislike the thoughts (???) behind it.

"A mate and I found his dad's extensive porn collection when we were 11. I'd grown out of porn by 13."

What can I say?  At least you had two good years!   

The right article today.....time for popcorn and a cold Bintang

happyhour wrote:

The right article today.....time for popcorn and a cold Bintang

Popcorn is easy - the beer might prove more difficult.

Jakarta. The Trade Ministry, starting on Thursday, will ban the sale of alcoholic drinks in minimarkets across Indonesia and will revoke the business license of those minimarkets caught in violation.

The regulation aims to protect people, especially the youth, from committing crimes under the influence of alcohol and to curb bootleg alcohol production, the ministry says.

Cinema 21 sell an excellent spicy popcorn (I sometimes go to a cinema just to buy their wonderful popcorn)  - the chili will have to do instead of the booze.

I see problems with this law - the majority of the drinkers I see tend to consume that cheap, nasty, illegal, killer fake booze, so I don't think it's  make much difference to the real problem, just make the illegal booze more popular.
The police hammering the illegal manufacturers is a great idea - that bunch are killers - literally.

All they need to do is study how prohibition in the US was a complete disaster during the early 20th century.  The market for booze simple went underground, and the US lost huge revenues.  Given how high the tax rates are for imported beer, wine and spirits into Indonesia, the amount of tax revenue lost to Indonesia would be a staggering amount.

If they want to keep young folks from buying the stuff, which is for sure a noble idea,  then enact a reasonable law such as one which requires proof of the minimum age to purchase alcohol, viz 18, 21, whatever.   This should apply across the board and well beyond mini markets…i.e., to getting served in bars or restaurants as well as purchasing at any sort of outlet…wine shop, mini market, warung, super market, etc.  No KTP showing proof of legal age…then no sale…period. 

Moreover, punishing the user of the stuff is simply ridiculous.  Punish the provider…not the user, unless you want your jails totally loaded up.

Totally agree with your post Ubudian.

Chatted to friends (6 couples) here in Oz last night who go regularly to Indonesia each year on holidays and they are now looking to head elsewhere if that becomes law.
Personally I can't see that happening when a dollar figure is put against it.

The US is a different country, with different social norms, so I don't thing that argument really works.
The point about tourism is absolutely valid.

Alcohol prohibition is only one of the numerous issues in Indo.
Maybe the next step will be pork meat and mini skirts which are haram.
What about one of my Indonesian friends who is an artist from Bandung?  He could not set up an art exhibition because of some his nude paintings!!!
But remember, we should not be too behave as neo-colonialists and being prejudiced against these people who had to live through 32 years of Suharto military dictatorship who was defeated
in 1998 and died in 2008, i.e, only 7 years ago.
Nowadays the young generations are trying to get free from these years of terror, censorship and propaganda as they are more educated, learn about different cultures, meet a lot of foreigners through social networks and traveling abroad.
At the moment Oppenheimer's films are shown and followed by debates in 457 places of Indonesia. Sometimes fascist fanatics from the FPI or Pemuda Indonesia try to stop them, but most of the time they do not succeed.
Just give time to the Indonesian People  to change their society.

"The US is a different country, with different social norms, so I don't thing that argument really works."

Fred my boy, Americans are people...just like people everywhere.  Tell them they can't have something that they've always been able to have before, and they'll only wind up wanting it more.  Prohibition simply doesn't work...in any culture.

@MF24...

"What about one of my Indonesian friends who is an artist from Bandung?  He could not set up an art exhibition because of some his nude paintings!!!"

If your friend studied at ITB (as did two of my brother's in law), then he would know fully well that for an exhibition of paintings featuring nudes...exhibit them in Bali!   

Do someone have idea about getting Alcohol in Jakarta from DFS while in Transit?

rahbansal wrote:

Do someone have idea about getting Alcohol in Jakarta from DFS while in Transit?

Assuming you're leaving the country, you will pass the duty free in terminal 2.
Alcohol is sold there.
If your transit destination is inside Indonesia, you won't.

Not an alcohol drinker myself but our local warungs have plenty of beer.  Don't seem to need a drug to enjoy life, but sadly, so many do. 

I don't beleive in this type of prohibition being placed on business' by government, on the other hand, drinking here is becoming a bigger and bigger problem.  Many just cannot control how much they drink and become a public nuisance.


Seeing vacationers walking the streets of Kuta, beer in hand, morning, day, and night, is not a pretty picture.  Drunkeness at night is rampant, making public safety a serious problem.  They also become easy prey for predators who will beat them for their wallets or purses.  Truly an ugly picture in Kuta.