Draft Tobacco, Who Benefits?

Tobacco Farmers in Indonesia urged the government and the House of Representatives immediately revise the Health Act, which is judged to have betrayed and oppressed tobacco farmers.

“Efforts to suppress tobacco farmers an act of treason against the state. It has to be investigated.” Vice Chairman of the Institute for Agricultural Development Board RegionNU (LPP PWNU) East Kalimantan, Elvyani NH Gaffar, in a written statement on Monday, December 26, 2011.

Tobacco farmers also urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono immediately cancel the draft Government Regulation (RPP) Tobacco. “Also that is not less important, the President must have the courage to replace the Minister of Health and the Minister of Agriculture whoare not pro-farmer,” he said, affirmed. According to him, two regulations have been and will be legalized it is another form of government repression against the people. “If the two regulations were implemented (RPP Tobacco and Health Act) will obviously scared farmers grow tobacco. The end is clear, the world will import the tobacco industry, while our farmers will lose their jobs,” he said.

NU Institute of Agriculture Development West Sumatra also assesses, Section 113 subsection (2) of Law Number 36 Year 2009 on Health is one of the articles that must be revised. Therefore, this verse indirectly discredit tobacco. Tobacco is by religion declared lawful, the Health Act declared forbidden to be consumed in processed form what so ever. How exactly the sound of Article 113 paragraph 2 of that? “Addictive substances referred to in Paragraph 1 includes tobacco, products that contain tobacco, solids, liquids, and gases that are addictive to its use can cause harm to themselves and or the surrounding communities. Production, distribution, and use of materials containing addictive substances must meet the and standards or requirements set forth.”

“The president must be firm, Health Law and legalization plan RPP on Tobacco should be canceled,” said Chairman LPPNU West Sumatra, Darmansyah, Saturday, December 17. LPPNU rate, the suppression of tobacco farmers economically would prejudice the government. Calculations, in the year the government revenue from these commodities reached Rp53 trillion. With the enactment of the Health Act, he added, is a form of blunders that have a negative impact on state revenues.
“Within a year of getting the state cigarette excise only Rp53 trillion. What would happen if the local tobacco curbed,” said Darmansyah. The amount of tobacco contributed to make this institution a mistake to judge the government set aside a commodity.

However, did the score for it? Directorate General of Customs and Excise, Ministry of Finance expected to raise the excise tax on next year amounting to Rp72,44 trillion, up 6.4 percent compared to the budget target-Change 2011. From the acceptance of it, the cigarette tax receipts accounted for Rp69,04 trillion, while the liquor excise Rp3,4 trillion. The government itself estimates that the production of cigarettes in the next year reached 268.4 billion cigarettes.