Jakarta – The Jakarta administration on Thursday asked neighboring administrations Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi and Cianjur to join it in presenting a united front against alcohol.

The capital's industry and trade agency issued a circular in December banning the sale of drinks with more than 5 percent alcohol in supermarkets and hypermarkets.

"We have agreed to control the production and circulation of alcohol," agency head Ade Suharsono said Thursday. "That's why we have asked neighboring administrations to increase their supervision of alcohol sales," Ade added.

He could not specify the kind of cooperation the agency was hoping for, pending meetings on the issue with representatives of the other administrations.

The agency's circular prohibited supermarkets and hypermarkets in Jakarta from selling "type B" (wine, champagne) and "type C" (spirits) alcoholic beverages.

The circular was issued in line with a 1997 presidential decree on the monitoring and control of alcohol sales, as well as a 1997 decree from the now defunct industry and trade ministry on monitoring and controlling the production, importation, distribution and sale of alcoholic drinks.

Tangerang municipality has gone one step further by banning the sale and distribution of all alcoholic drinks, including beer. Duty-free shops are the exception. In Tangerang, alcohol can only be consumed in three-, four-and five-star hotels or restaurants displaying special stickers issued by the Culture and Tourism Ministry. The same ruling goes for bars, pubs and nightclubs in Jakarta.

"Any company that violates the law will have its license withdrawn," said Ade. He said the agency had raided several outlets in Jakarta that were selling alcohol illegally. "No company can produce or sell alcohol near a house of worship, school or hospital," he said.