National Child's Day Celebration Bans Indonesian Children's Voice
Friday, 23 July, 2010 | 18:32 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has sparked media reaction again today (23/7) at the state celebration of the National Children's Day in Jakarta after declaration of the results of the recent child convention in Sumatra was dropped from the event about an hour before the reading.

Indonesian Children's Voice declaration supposed to be read by a pair of teenagers this morning before the president at the flashy celebration of the National Children's at Indonesia Miniature Park in East Jakarta failed to get to the stage.

"Organiser said it could not be read, maybe because the eighth point," Puspa Rini a female assisting the teenage readers said, adding that she hoped the it was "pure technical, not order from somebody in the palace."

The eighth point contains plea to the government to protect children from impacts of tobacco use through tobacco ads ban and cigarette price hike, which Puspa said had been rehearsed on the eve of the celebration at the event site.

Tobacco control campaign increases in Indonesia in late 2008 which include child protection against the impact of tobacco. It was started year before Indonesian signature clove cigarette was banned in the US or after US cigarette maker entered the local clove cigarette market in 2007, prompting the government to challenge the ban through the World Trade Organization.

Reports of not one, but at least two infant smokers, have emerged from Indonesia since, along with photographs and videos which were published and shocked readers and viewers as far as Europe.


DWI RIYANTO AGUSTIAR