PONTIANAK, Thekabarnews.com—The Pontianak City Administration is working hard to inform the public about Regional Regulation (Perda) number 4/2025 on smoke-free zones (KTR). The goal is to encourage people to obey the rules and create healthier places free from cigarette smoke.

The campaign officially kicked off on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Local authorities began direct socialization in the field in several strategic public spaces in the city.

Head of Pontianak City Health Office, Saptiko, said the outreach program was an important stage. This follows the formal ratification of the regulation at the end of last year.

“The city is focusing on seven main areas where smoking restrictions must be strictly enforced,” he said.

These include health facilities, schools, places of worship, children’s playgrounds, public parks, cafés, restaurants, and shopping centers.

“We and the KTR Task Force team are directly conducting socialization about the implementation of this regulation, especially in education areas, health facilities, places of worship, playgrounds, parks, cafes, restaurants, and shopping centers,” Saptiko said.

One of the key changes in the new regulation is the substantial hike in fines for violators. The previous regulation set that the maximum fine was Rp50,000.

The maximum penalty has been increased to Rp250,000 under Perda No. 4 of 2025. The increase in sanctions is a stronger warning for people to comply more seriously.

“The new regulation also sets requirements for designated smoking areas, including placing them separately from the main building,” he said.

Head of the Regional Law Enforcement Division of the Pontianak Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), Syarifah Welly, said that the massive socialization effort was necessary. This is because the regulation has actually been in effect since August 2025 in supporting the policy.

“Offices, houses of worship, and schools have become our top priority for supervision and enforcement,” she said.

“We want the public to know about these new regulations. “This year we will start with inspections and raids as part of the gradual enforcement process,” Welly said.

In the future, authorities will focus enforcement on administrative sanctions in accordance with national legal provisions.

The authorities will adopt a graduated approach. Authorities will first issue verbal warnings before imposing formal sanctions on managers of smoke-free areas who fail to enforce the rules.

Officials say the slow approach will help build public awareness while protecting legal certainty.

By implementing the smoke-free zone, the Pontianak City government aims to enhance the community’s health. Additionally, they want to significantly reduce cigarette smoke pollution in crowded public places.

The administration argues that the policy is part of a broader effort to create a cleaner, healthier, and more comfortable urban environment for all residents.

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