Tuesday, July 17 2012, 21:19 PM
The provincial public order officers (Satpol PP) have conducted a series of inspections at government offices to enforce the bylaw on smoke-free zones.
A number of civil servants were found to be smoking cigarettes and placing ashtrays in their offices.
In addition, the Satpol officers confiscated 130 packs of cigarettes from two kiosks inside some government offices. They continued on to conduct more inspections at cooperatives and small- and medium-scale enterprises, as well as agricultural offices.
The bylaw requires government offices to be free of cigarette smoke. Anyone who smokes or provides cigarettes may face a three-month imprisonment or a fine of Rp 50,000 (US$5.35).
“By placing ashtrays and smoking cigarettes in a government office, bylaw No.10/2011 Article 12 on Smoke-Free Zones has been breached”, said I Made Sukadana, one of the Satpol officers.
The head of a cooperative unit was shocked when he was arrested for smoking in the office. He is now facing three months in jail or paying a Rp 50,000 fine.
The officers also arrested owners of the kiosks since selling cigarettes in public places and government offices is also prohibited under the bylaw.
Sis Gunarto, owner of the kiosk, said that he strongly supported the bylaw and the confiscated cigarettes were actually his remaining stock.
The bylaw is applied equally to everybody. Visitors are also banned from smoking cigarettes in public places, including government offices, hospitals and school buildings.
A businessman was surprised when a public order officer caught him smoking in an office while he was visiting his friend. He was ordered to pay the fine or face three months in jail.
The Bali Legislative Council ratified the smoke-free zone bylaw last year and the administration promised to enact it gradually.
The administration had, however, postponed the enforcement of the bylaw for various reasons.
Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika previously said that the administration would need more time to ensure proper communication of the prohibition to smoking in public places.
The first stage of implementation would see the bylaw enacted in government offices, schools and healthcare facilities. This would soon be followed by hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, nightclubs and places of worship. Other places to see the bylaw enforced will include playgrounds, traditional and modern markets, terminals, airports and public transportation.
Advertising and sales of tobacco products have also been banned in these places, except for those regulated by a specific governor regulation.
Last June, the provincial public order officers also inspected several government offices. At that time, the officers were yet to enact the bylaw and only disseminated information. Some civil servants, as well as member of Bali Legislative Council, were caught in these earlier inspections, but they were given warning letters only.
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