ER
WHILE Nasim Khan, a member of Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR-RI), proposed that PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) provide gates for cafes and smoking areas to improve passenger comfort and increase PT KAI’s revenue, sparked a fire.
It wasn’t anger, but rather opposition from various parties, including health experts and non-governmental organizations.
The Indonesian Youth Council for Tactical Changes (IYCTC), for example, firmly criticized the proposal as reckless. IYCTC Chairman, Manik Marganamahendra, even argued that the proposal for designated smoking carriages on trains was a policy setback.
Since 2012, PT KAI has designated all trains as Smoke-Free Areas (KTR), with strict sanctions in the form of deportation for violators. This regulation aligns with Government Regulation Number 28 of 2024 and Health Law Number 17 of 2023, which defines public transportation as KTR.
The Ministry of Transportation stated that the KTR policy on trains is an important part of maintaining clean air and providing health protection for public transportation users.
The implementation of this regulation demonstrates the government’s consistency in enforcing applicable regulations while maintaining the quality of public transportation services in accordance with established health standards.
PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) Operational Area 1 Jakarta also emphasized that all train journeys, whether long-distance trains (KAJJ), local trains, or commuter trains, are smoke-free zones.
The smoking ban also applies at all departure and intermediate stations. Passengers are only permitted to smoke in designated and clearly marked smoking areas.
Therefore, the introduction of designated smoking carriages is considered a step backward, given the KAI reforms implemented with the vision of modernization, safety, and public comfort.
Manik then reminded everyone of the 1973 deaths of 123 passengers on Paris-bound Varig Flight 820, sparked by a cigarette butt.
The tragedy began when a fire suddenly broke out in the airplane’s toilet while in flight. The fire triggered smoke that made it difficult for passengers to breathe. The pilot then made an emergency landing. However, although they landed safely, 123 passengers died from asphyxiation.
Reflecting on these conditions, allowing smoking on public transportation is a ticking time bomb. From a safety perspective, smoke could trigger fires or disrupt the train’s ventilation system.
On the other hand, providing dedicated smoking carriages or areas on trains is considered to increase costs for KAI. This includes cleaning up smoke residue and cigarette butts, as well as routinely sterilizing seats, walls, and floors, as stated by IYCTC Advocacy Officer Daniel Beltsazar Jacob.
Maintenance costs could soar, shortening the lifespan of equipment, and requiring KAI to allocate additional funds. Ultimately, this burden could be passed on to passengers through fare increases or to the government through subsidies.
Meanwhile, in terms of economic losses, a 2015 study by Soewarta Kosen, a researcher from the Faculty of Public Health (FKM) at the University of Indonesia, estimated the economic losses due to smoking at nearly IDR 600 trillion, or more than four times the value of cigarette excise revenue received by the government in the same year.
Therefore, adding dedicated smoking carriages on trains will only increase the burden on the state, not provide benefits.
Meanwhile, from a health perspective, the threat of thirdhand smoke remains dangerous, even after passengers disembark. Thirdhand smoke is a term used to describe the residue of nicotine and other harmful chemicals left behind by cigarette smoke.
According to health experts, cigarette smoke can even linger for months on sofas and up to 19 months on clothing.
Furthermore, and most importantly, this violates the rights of children, the elderly, and vulnerable passengers to safe and comfortable transportation. Smoking in public spaces violates the basic right to clean air.
Therefore, instead of providing space for smoking, the government should strengthen smoking cessation services and protect public transportation as smoke-free areas.
Considering the various negative impacts, support for KAI to maintain its smoke-free train service policy has been voiced. The Chairman of the Honorary Council of the Indonesian Pulmonary Physicians Association (PDPI), Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama, believes that the smoke-free train service regulation can encourage smokers to resist the urge to smoke and potentially serve as a catalyst for quitting completely.
Furthermore, this regulation is an effort to ensure healthy and friendly train travel for all groups, including children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
There is no guarantee that cigarette smoke will not disturb other passengers. Ventilation cannot guarantee this, not to mention the impact on passersby, staff passing by the carriage, cleaning staff, and others.
Tjandra, who served as Director of Infectious Diseases at the WHO Southeast Asia Regional Office from 2018 to 2020, believes that public policymakers have an obligation to protect and improve the health of all the nation’s children.
Therefore, the culture of not smoking must continue to be expanded. Policies to this end must be continuously improved, including by maintaining smoke-free trains.
Hopefully, the commitment to making public transportation, especially trains, smoke-free will remain, regardless of whoever the future leader of this country is. [antaranews]
