STRICTER LAWS ON DRUGS REQUIRED: EXPERTS

JAKARTA (JP): Government, police and other law enforcement agencies should
take strict concrete measures to reduce rising drug trafficking in the
capital city, experts said over the weekend.

Adrianus Meliala, a noted criminologist from the University of Indonesia,
said putting up banners all over the capital as part of city residents'
anti-drug campaign was not sufficient to fight the social ill.

Meliala suggested city residents and government officials take more
concrete measures to fight drug abuse.

"The residents' good will alone is not enough unless it is backed up by the
government's political will. They should start to heavily punish drug
dealers and rehabilitate drug users instead of using words on banners,"
Meliala told The Jakarta Post.

Since the city administration aired its campaign against drugs last July,
hundreds of banners have been put up, initially in Kampung Bali
subdistrict, Tanah Abang and Central Jakarta, before spreading out to other
areas of the city.

Several movements to support the city's campaign have also been
established, including the Society's Antidrug Movement (GERAM) and the
People's Movement against Drug Abuse (GRANAT).

The movements have demanded newly appointed lawmakers in the House of
Representatives and the People's General Assembly to seriously review laws
on drug trafficking, which are lenient on convicted traffickers.

Meliala said although residents had actively staged a war against drugs, it
is still possible that there were distortions in judiciary procedures,
which likely lightened the sentences imposed on drug traffickers.

Meliala, commenting on Governor Sutiyoso's proposal to impose a death
sentence on drug dealers, said there was nothing new in the proposal as it
was already stipulated in Indonesia's laws. According to the 1997 Law on
Narcotics, capital punishment can be imposed on convicted drug dealers.

"However, until now, no drug traffickers have been sentenced to death,"
Meliala remarked.

He said Malaysia and Singapore were successful in battling drugs through
imposing capital punishment on drug traffickers. Several executions held by
the two countries acted as "shock therapy" to scare criminals and were also
useful in cutting government spending on rehabilitating drug users.

"Indonesia doesn't have a similar burden like Malaysia and Singapore, so it
would be more effective if the government and police actively warn society
about the dangers arising from drug abuse," he said, adding that public
participation in combating drugs should be enhanced.

Noted psychologist Dadang Hawari told the Post that the increase of a
public movement against drugs indicated the ineffectiveness of the
government and law enforcement officials.

Dadang, however, acknowledged that officials often came to a dead end in
investigations, due to a lack of evidence and a weakness in Article No. 78
of the Law on Narcotics, which allows criminals leeway in possessing a
contraband.

He said the government should revise the law and equip it with a
governmental regulation as its operational guideline to give more power in
netting suspects.

"We have to handle this matter seriously and we have to do it fast. Drugs
cases should also involve the Ministry of Health, not only the police
department. There should be an interministerial coordination," Dadang
added. (01)