Dangerous to Sell Liquor Freely

Methanol or industrial alcohol is an important ingredient used in the production of bootleg liquor. Despite being a dangerous substance, it is sold freely to the public without strict control.

KOMPAS/SAMUEL OKTORA

Bandung Police personnel counts the bottles and jerry cans of bootleg liquor confiscated during a raid on Monday (9/4/2018) in Bandung, West Java. The provincial police force has stepped up its efforts against vendors of bootleg liquor following the deaths of 26 people in Cicalengka, Bandung regency, and in Buah Batu, Bandung city, linked to the consumption of bootleg liquor.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The wide use of methanol – an industrial alcohol that is extremely toxic to humans – as the main ingredient for the making of bootleg liquor indicates that the dangerous material is still freely sold to the public without restrictions.

Consequently, the methanol that is supposed to be used for the industrial purposes is often misused. The death toll from the consumption of bootleg liquor made from methanol continued to increase on Friday. Throughout 2018, the consumption of the illegal drink known locally as oplosan has killed 117 people.

The latest deaths occurred in Bekasi, West Java. Five people were dead after consuming bootleg liquor at the Ambara Pura Complex, Kodau, Jatimekar subdistrict, Jatiasih, Bekasi, last week. They were Imron, 38, who died on Friday; Alfian, 52; Hermadi, 57; and Yoppy, 45, who were killed on Wednesday; and Herry Zontal, 57, who died on Thursday.

"They were killed after consuming bootleg alcohol. The ingredients are mixed with methanol as well," said Suryadi, 51, Hermadi\'s brother, at his house in Jatimekar village on Friday.

The deaths in Cicalengka, Bandung regency, has reached 45 people. From the results of police laboratory tests, alcoholic drinks contained methanol (CH3OH). Methanol can be easily found in chemical stores.

The head of the Jakarta Police’s public relations department, Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono, said that based on the victims\' accounts, they felt nauseous and dizzy after drinking the bootleg liquor.

"According to laboratory tests, methanol was found in the bootleg liquor. However, it is still under investigation whether all the alcoholic drinks consumed by the victims contained methanol," Argo said.

KOMPAS/WISNU AJI DEWABRATA

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Idham Aziz and staff members display bottles of bootleg liquor the police confiscated on Friday (20/4/2018). The police seized 39,834 bottles of liquor and bootled liquor of various types. Thirty-three people died recently after consuming bootleg liquor in Jakarta.

Should be regulated

A series of alcohol abuse cases that causes many deaths should be followed with the formulation of a comprehensive solution. In addition to the lack of supervision over the circulation of hazardous materials, such as methanol, the lack of understanding among communities on the danger of alcoholic drinks complicates the case.

The deputy for food safety and dangerous food at the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), Suratmono, acknowledged that it was necessary to issue a regulation to control the circulation of methanol to prevent it from being easily misused. Although methanol is needed, its sales should be closely monitored.

In addition to the widely used methanol, there are some other ingredients that are often mixed in food products, such as formalin, borax and Rhodamin B. However, the sales of formalin, borax and Rhodamine B have been regulated under Trade Minister Decree No. 44/M-Dag/Per/9/2009 concerning the procurement, distribution and control of hazardous materials. Until now, no regulation has been issued to regulate the sales of methanol.

"Just like formalin, it should be regulated. So, a regulation is needed to control methanol. Who should coordinate it? Is it the Coordinating Economic Ministry, the Trade Ministry or the Industry Ministry? Because the industry still needs it," said Suratmono.

The coordinator for complaints and legal affairs at the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), Sularsi, said that the government and all related parties needed to immediately find ways to control the circulation of methanol used in bootleg liquor. There was a clear indication that methanol had been widely misused, she added.

In addition, people should also be told that bootleg liquor is dangerous.

"If no serious action is immediately taken, there will a loss in a generation. [Victims] are mostly people of productive age," she said.

Do not know

AK, a 19-year old man who often consumes alcoholic drinks called ginseng in Kampung Kebon Suuk, village Cicalengka, said he had been consuming ginseng since 2013. However, until now, he did not know the contents of the drink.

Dimas, 21, a drinker in Jakasetia, Bekasi city, also admitted he did not know the contents of the ginseng drinks he bought. He just trusted the seller because many people bought the liquor. "Many buyers crowded his stall. That\'s why we believe in him," he said.

Dimas found out that the ginseng drinks contained methanol after seeing the news on television. Dimas also felt his chest became warm, his vision blurred, and his body turned limp after consuming the liquor. "I have stopped drinking ginseng," said Dimas.

An anthropologist at the University of Indonesia (UI), Raymond Michael Menot, said consumers of bootleg liquor were mostly men of productive age and they were usually influenced by the masculinity factor and low prices.

"Young people usually consume bootleg liquor to show their masculinity. So, if you are a man, you must dare to drink this liquor," said Raymond.

According to Raymond, to prevent similar cases from recurring, the government needs to hold a campaign telling people that bootleg liquor is poisonous and it is not safe for consumption.

"It\'s easier for us to tell the consumers that they should not drink toxins. By doing so, the bootleg liquor business will die,” said Raymond.

The executive committee of the Indonesia Malt Beverage Industry Group, Dendy Borman, said that it would take at least a month to process an alcoholic drink that is legal and safe for consumption.

To make beer, for example, it requires a number of raw materials such as water, malted barley, hops and yeast. To produce alcoholic beverages, beverage manufacturers must be audited by the BPOM in order to obtain a license.

(ADY/BKY/DD06/MDN/ILO/WAD)