MUI Fatwa Adding Employment Cost in Indonesia

MUI Fatwa Adding Employment Cost

Surabaya - Fatwa Council Ulama Indonesia (MUI), which forbid smoking for people with certain criteria, the burden on the employment problem, Surabaya.

"Now these workers are facing economic crisis, but is still burdened with the MUI fatwa concerning cigarettes," said the Head of Department of Labor (Disnaker) Surabaya, Achmad Syafi `i, Tuesday.

According to him, the fatwa is not directly influence the labor sector in the cigarette industry. "At least the sale of cigarettes will be reduced and this affects the workforce," he said.

He said, currently there are around 27 thousand employees who work in some cigarette company in Surabaya. "That is just the labor in the cigarette factory, not energy sales and the people who put out a small pool of his life," he said.

"Especially at this time workers in Surabaya are problems UMK (Minium Wages City) in 2009 which increased 17 percent compared to last year. Many companies that refuse to implement the Governor SK UMK is because the impact of the economic crisis," said Syafi `i add.

Therefore, he deplore the MUI issued a fatwa on cigarette regardless of social impact in the community.

In previous Ijtimak Ulama Fatwa Commission III se-Indonesia in Padang Panjang, West Sumatra, MUI issued a fatwa, illicit cigarettes for pregnant women, teenagers, in general, and scholars.

MUI Fatwa be gazed at it a number of circles, including the Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU). According to the Chairman of the General PBNU, Hasyim Muzadi, the relative dangers of smoking, not significant, such as liquor, cigarettes, so no need to difatwakan unlawful.