Indonesian govt bans alcohol sales in minimarts

The regulation, signed earlier last month but publicised last week to inform minimart owners and the public, is meant to limit access to alcoholic drinks in response to growing concerns over their ill effects.

"We've received a lot of feedback about drunken behaviour among the young, and since it is also a health concern, we feel it is only right to implement this ban, especially at minimarts, more of which have opened in residential estates, near schools and places of worship, and have opened up without licences," said Rachmat.

Education and culture minister Anies Baswedan and youth and sports minister Imam Nahrawi said they supported the ban. Imam also said he plans to implement mandatory alcohol tests on all athletes.

The move against alcohol follows a tougher stance that the government of President Joko Widodo has taken against drug trafficking in a bid to curb drug abuse, including carrying out executions of convicted drug traffickers, some of whom have been on death row since 2000.

The ban on the sale of alcohol in minimarts tightens an earlier presidential regulation, issued in January last year by the previous administration, which limits the sale of drinks with over 5 per cent of alcohol to licensed premises like bars, hotels, restaurants and clubs, but allows drinks with less than 5 per cent alcohol content to be sold in minimarts, supermarkets and hypermarts.

Minimarts have mushroomed in the past 10 years, growing at an average of 15 per cent annually and now number 23,000 nationwide. Many of them do not have licences to operate.

Not everyone is aware of the new ban.

Of the five minimart staff The Straits Times spoke to, four did not know about the ban, while one said the impact would be limited as her outlet sold only about 20 bottles a day.