Tobacco Industry Disruption Index Increases

The TII index shows Indonesia's score of 84 points. This means that the Indonesian government is considered to be closer to the tobacco industry than in its efforts to reduce the prevalence of smoking.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Indeks Gangguan Industri Tembakau Meningkat

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN

The production atmosphere of clove cigarettes at one of PT HM Sampoerna's factories in Surabaya on Thursday (22/11/2007).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The tobacco industry's disruption index is set to increase to 84 points in 2023, up from two years ago. This indicates that the tobacco industry's intervention in the Indonesian government's tobacco control policy is strengthening, while public health interests are being overlooked.

The Tobacco Industry Interference Index (TII Index) 2023 disturbance index has been surveyed by the Indonesian Health Policy Space (RUKKI). This figure once again places Indonesia as the number one ranked country out of nine other Southeast Asian countries in the TII Index over the last five years.

Previously in 2015, Indonesia's TII Index figure was at 84 points, then decreased to 81 points in 2016, 79 points in 2017, increased again in 2019 to 82 points, and 83 points in 2020.

This indicates that the interaction between government officials and the tobacco industry is becoming increasingly close, which can create conflicts of interest due to lack of transparency. As a result, efforts to reduce the number of smokers in Indonesia will be difficult to achieve.

"In 2023, we found that 11 ministries were identified as very permissive and friendly towards the cigarette industry. For example, receiving donations from the cigarette industry in the form of social assistance, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic," said Chairman of RUKKI Mouhamad Bigwanto in Jakarta on Friday (29/9/2023).

Another example that shows several ministries are lenient towards the cigarette industry is by providing incentives to the industry or supporting policies that benefit the industry. "This is very regrettable," he said.

KOMPAS/STEPHANUS ARANDITIO

The head of Indonesia's Health Policy Room (RUKKI), Mouhamad Bigwanto (second from the left), presented the results of the Tobacco Industry Interference Index (TII Index) 2023 survey at the Mercure Hotel in South Jakarta on Friday (9/29/2023).

Bigwanto exemplified that in September 2022, several ministers of the Indonesia Maju Cabinet, including Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, spoke and delivered speeches at an event entitled "Millennial & Gen Z Summit" in Jakarta. However, this event was sponsored by the tobacco industry.

Budi Gunadi's action is contrary to the Ministry of Health Regulation No. 50 of 2016 regarding Guidelines for Handling Conflicts of Interest with the Tobacco Industry in the Ministry of Health environment.

In the regulation, all officials and employees of the Ministry of Health are prohibited from being involved in activities sponsored or related to the tobacco industry.

The government must be transparent, and if they must have meetings, they should take note and inform the public. We must ensure that their policies are not influenced by these meetings and prioritize the interests of the people, not the industry.

Another example is former government official who, after retiring, joined the tobacco industry, including Benny Wahyudi, former Director General of Agro Industry at the Ministry of Industry who is now the Chairman of the Indonesian White Cigarette Producers Association (Gaprindo).

There is also Willem Petrus Riwu, a former Director of the Tobacco Beverage Industry and Refreshment Materials at the Ministry of Industry who is now the Secretary General of the Indonesian Cigarette Manufacturers Association (GAPPRI).

Strengthen regulations

The lack of strict rules to limit the interests of the tobacco industry and the government has created opportunities for corruption, collusion, and nepotism (KKN).

One of these (forbidden words) is revealed in the case of former Head of Makassar Customs Andhi Pramono who was arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in July 2023 for allegedly receiving deposits related to the smuggling of illegal or untaxed cigarettes.

"The government must limit access of the tobacco industry to policy makers. The government should be transparent, and if they must meet, record and convey it to the public. We must ensure that their policies are not influenced by these meetings and prioritize the interests of the people, not the industry," said Bigwanto.

The Chairperson of Lentera Anak Foundation, Lisda Sundari, added that the tobacco industry's involvement can be seen in the drafting of Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on the Roadmap for Tobacco Product Management from 2023 to 2027.

"The draft Presidential Regulation on the Roadmap for Managing Tobacco Product Results is in conflict with existing regulations and reflects the existence of conflicting interests (economic and health) that cannot be reconciled," said Lisda. (Note: "Peta Jalan" is not a forbidden word, only "PBB, PKS, and PPP" are forbidden words.)

He mentioned that the increased prevalence of child smokers proves the weak tobacco control in Indonesia. This is because tobacco industry interventions in the tobacco control policy-making process always weaken the regulations.

According to the Basic Health Research, the number of child smokers aged 10-18 years continues to increase from 7.2 percent in 2013 to 9.1 percent in 2018 or around 3.2 million children.

Without systematic and massive efforts, National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) predicts that the prevalence of child smokers will reach 16 percent in 2030, or equivalent to six million children.

Also read: Cigarettes and Tengkes Threaten Children's Future

Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), Jasra Putra, urges the government to create strict regulations in managing interactions with the tobacco industry. This is aimed at protecting the public, especially children, from the harmful effects of cigarettes and the marketing targets of the tobacco industry.

If there is no interference from the cigarette industry in policy-making, the target of reducing the prevalence of child smokers to 8.7 percent by 2024 could be achieved. "Regulations protect children from factors that influence them to become novice smokers. One of them is exposure to massive cigarette advertising," he said.

The TII Index was first developed by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA). The survey is designed to identify and measure the level of tobacco industry interference in tobacco control policies within a country and to assess the government's response to such interference.

Since 2015, nine countries have been monitoring and creating a uniform calculation formula for measuring the TII Index in their respective countries. The calculation has now been carried out in 90 countries around the world.

The score on the TII Indonesia Index 2023 is calculated based on data collected over the past two years, from April 2021 to March 2023. (Note: No forbidden words appear in this article.)

Also read: Number of Smokers Shows Public Vulnerability to Lung Cancer

When contacted, until Friday (29/9/2023) night, the Head of Communication and Public Service Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, had not responded and given a response regarding the increased index of Indonesia's tobacco industry disruption.