Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta, Heru Budi Hartono, recently stated that the provincial government of Jakarta will consider revoking the Jakarta Smart Card (Kartu Jakarta Pintar or KJP) and the Jakarta Superior Student Card (Kartu Jakarta Mahasiswa Unggul or KJMU) for students caught smoking or using vapes.
KJP is a government-subsidised social assistance programme given to primary, middle, and high school students in DKI Jakarta to help students from underprivileged families continue their education. KJMU is also a government-subsidised programme, which aims to improve the quality of education for prospective university students from economically disadvantaged families.
Speaking to the press on Monday, the 6th of August, Hartono also remarked that vaping or smoking any variant of electronic cigarette (or e-cigarette) should be considered dangerous and not at all different from cigarettes in general.
“It’s the changing times. If I ask them, do you smoke? No. But electronic cigarettes are the same [as tobacco cigarettes]. Hence, I say that those who smoke, including those who use electronic cigarettes [such as vape], are interchangeable,” said Hartono.
Hartono believed that the proposed sanctions are appropriate to ensure that all government-subsidised programmes are addressed and delivered as initially intended by the Jakarta provincial government.
“We don’t want the [provincial government] budget and the state budget to be mis-targeted, including those who have already received [the subsidies]. How come you can’t afford to go to school but can buy cigarettes?” quipped Hartono.
On top of that, Hartono also implored parents of the students to be more aware of the side effects of smoking vape.
“Our burden as parents seems heavier [now] because, in my opinion, electronic cigarettes are more dangerous [than tobacco cigarettes] and that they are more susceptible to being infused with liquids that we really shouldn’t use,” he continued.
Meanwhile, on the 26th of July, President Joko Widodo had authorised the Government Regulation (Peraturan Pemerintah or PP) Number 28 of 2024 concerning the implementation of Law (Undang-Undang or UU) Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health. The recent policy established that the minimum smoking age limit in Indonesia was changed from 18 years of age to 21 years of age. This recent law also, among other things, prohibited the sale of cigarettes, including vape, within 200 metres of school and playground environments.