Muslim politicians in Indonesia have called for a complete alcohol ban in the country, with a proposal of jail sentences of up to two years for people who flout it, reports The Independent.
Muslim representatives in legislative seats comprise less than a third of parliament, but are becoming more conservative in their views and are proposing the cessation of the distribution, consumption and production of alcohol in the country.
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Recently, beers ceased being sold in grocery stores, but this move would be an unprecedented one for the country to make if it is passed.
With the country comprising of many faiths, including Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism, the proposal has been criticised.
The MUI, a state-backed council of Muslim clerics, have become more extreme in views over the years and helped parliament pass new stricter pornography laws, as well as calling for extramarital sex to be illegal, as it is in many countries in the Middle East such as the UAE and Qatar. This, however, has not been passed.
On the surface, the proposal is supposed to cut down on home-brews, which have been accused of causing many deaths, though an all-out ban suggests that this is being used merely as an excuse.
The alcohol ban is already in place in Aceh in the northwest of Indonesia, which is run under Sharia law.
Source: The Independent
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