Indonesia: Palembang Fines Restaurants That Allow Smoking

Source from:  Jakarta Globe (id)  05/27/2013

The Palembang government will fine restaurants Rp 500,000 for each ashtray found at their locations, as part of an ongoing plan to effectively ban smoking in public areas of the South Sumatran city.

Palembang Health Agency head Gema Asiani said that the new fines are intended to implement the 2009 bylaw on Cigarette Free Zones, as quoted by Antara news agency.

"Smoke is dangerous not only for the smokers, but also to those inhaling the smoke even though they're not smokers," Gema said on Friday.

She said that her office will work with the Palembang Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) to enforce the smoking ban.

Palembang banned smoking in seven public areas, including houses of worship, schools, malls/restaurants, hospitals, offices, playgrounds and public transportation.

Gema said that while progress had been made on the ban, more than a quarter of restaurants still allowed smoking on their premises. Public transportation lagged further, with only 34.8 percent of buses enforcing the regulation against smoking. Enditem