With the increasing death toll for consuming poisonous arak - Balinese traditional alcoholic brew - arak sellers started to worried in continuing their business. In fact, stopping arak trade - and other alcoholic beverage - publicly has been a must for long, as in the long run it will bring negative impact to behavior of young generation.
It the tourist spot of Kuta and Legian, operator of night clubs have stopped selling arak, despite the fact that arak and all variation of different mixes were quite popular to both local and foreign visitors. Before many discotheque and bars offered this type of brew for their clients. In most cases, arak was served in mix with other ingredients, and offered at a significantly cheaper price than imported beverages, the very reason of its popularity.
However with continuously increasing death toll operators of night clubs in Kuta and Legian preferred to avoid risk by providing arak. Manager of Engine Room discotheque in Legian, Putu Meste, said that he has immediately decided to stop purchasing supply and and provising arak. Termination was intended to anticipate unexpected impack of more victims of arak. “We have stopped since four months ago. And it is not only us, other operators around Legian area have taken similar policy”, he said.
Definitely Engine Room continued to provide other alcoholic beverages especially the ones imported through legal channel. “Quality of imported beverages instead of running into trouble”, he added.
Manager of Deja'Vu, Irmawan Pujiyanto Putra said that his night club only sell legalized imported and local alcoholic beverages such as vodka and gin. He said that Deja'Vu has no longer provided arak. Whilst he admitted that that there were some occassional request for arak, but he could only responded by telling that arak was no longer available. “We do not sell arak any longer. Not many visitors order, and its quality is on question as well. We are worried that mixed arak will endanger visitors' life”, he said.
