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Jakarta: The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) will give guidance on smoking for Moslems. One of the council's member, Ali Mustafa Yakub, said that this will be discussed at MUI meetings throughout Indonesia. “It will be talked soon,” he said in a discussion on ‘Social and Religious Perspectives in Tobacco Control' in Jakarta yesterday.

According to Ali Mustafa, MUI can forbid cosmetic, food, drink and intoxicating products when they contain dangerous substances for health, faith, and property.

MUI never has forbidden smoking before. However, MUI suggests people to stop smoking without waiting for MUI's decision. Ali said, the ulemas will be aware of being taken advantage of by the smoking industry.

Ali suggested people to always consider the advantages and disadvantages of society smoking.

The discussion was attended by sociologists from the University of Indonesia, Imam B. Prasodjo. Imam suggested MUI to be proactive in intensifying the prohibition as a promotion over cigarettes. “The cigarette commercial is everywhere in Indonesia,” he said.

One survey showed 93.9 percent of teenagers watch cigarette commercial; 88.7 percent from television commercials and 93 percent from youth and sports events.

Imam said teenagers and children should be prevented from being addicted to smoking. The government should include people who are sick, who die, and are poor by smoking instead of promoting the income of the smoking industry.

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