Muhammadiyah: No Smoking Area is a Must

Jakarta Provincial Government commitment in enforcing law in no smoking area (KDM) received support from many sides. One of them is from Muhammadiyah which is now applying no smoking area in all Muhammadiyah area. Therefore, all Muhammadiyah offices, from charitable institution, schools, and official forums of this institution are free from cigarettes.

“If residents start aware of the health importance, so residents’ life quality will increase,” stated Syafiq A Mughni, Head of PP Muhammadiyah of Health Sector, during Launching No Smoking Area National in All Facilities Environment and Muhammadiyah Forum, in Muhammadiyah Central Building, Jakarta, Monday (11/14).

He explained this policy is relevant with Act No.36/2009 about health development which aims to improve awareness, desire and society healthy life as an investment for human resources. “This is as form of Muhammadiyah seriousness in supporting healthy life movement,” he told.

He urged that Muhammadiyah people especially to apply healthy lifestyle by not smoking because this smoking lifestyle affects much towards socio-economy society. “Based on Survey socio-economy BPS shown, cigarette consumption is at the second position after rice. This is clearly concerning, because many other necessities that more important than cigarettes and better,” he added.

He explained that recently, Muhammadiyah has 500 healthcare facilities such as hospital or clinic, 15,000 schools from kindergarten up to Senior High School, 200 high education institutions and 350 social institutions in Indonesia. Therefore, Muhammadiyah people as well as non Muhammadiyah must obey the rules in Muhammadiyah buildings.

Head of Jakarta Health Department, Dien Emawati added that Jakarta Provincial Government continuously commits to realize Jakarta towards smoke free, among them is Governor Regulation No. 75/2005 about No Smoking Area and Bylaw No. 2 /2005 about Air Pollution Handling. In Governor Regulation No. 75/2005, several areas are set as smoke free area such as public area, healthcare facility, teaching-learning area (school), kid’s activity area, worship area and public transport.

This is strengthened with the Governor Regulation No.88/2010 mentioned that, smoking room inside building is abolished. Thus, the smoker must do smoke outside building. Moreover, Jakarta Provincial Government has also held socialization about Governor Regulation No. 88/2010.

Meanwhile, based on the data of smoking prevalence from Demographic Institute of Indonesia University stated that the number of smokers in Jakarta is increasing. Every year, it can increase about 1 percent or more. In 2001, the number of smokers in Jakarta reached 27.7 percent. It is increased into 31.2 percent in 2004. From this number shows female smokers increased. Then, it is increased again in 2008 into 35 percent from population of 9.057 million people and female smokers reached 8 percent from the total of active smoker.

From the result of this research, from 25 types of household expenditure, in fact expenditure for cigarette is ranked in the second position after rice expenditure which ranked in the first position. Evidently, four out of ten poor households have highest in cigarette expenditure than rich household category.

As for the average number of smoker household expenditures is reached Rp 113 thousand per month in distributing cigarette. It is higher than the direct cash assistance (BLT) which given to give subsidy for poor household amounting to Rp 100 thousand per month.