No Mercy for Drug Dealers: President

Yogyakarta (Antara) -- President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo insisted that the government will not pardon heavy drug dealers sentenced to death by the court. "This crime warrants no forgiveness," Jokowi said here on Tuesday. According to him, the imposition of a death sentence to drug dealers should be acted on because 64 drug dealers have been sentenced to death so far, but no further action has been taken. "It has been years and I say it must be decided on immediately," he emphasized. Indonesia is in a state of emergency with regard to drug abuse, the president pointed out, adding that the number of drug users had reached 4.5 million, with 1.2 million of them beyond the point of rehabilitation because of the extreme natures of their cases. "I think we are aware that Indonesia is in a state of emergency with regard to drug use," he affirmed. (*)