TOURIST hotspot Bali is to ban alcohol under a draconian Islamic laws which would ruin the island’s economy, by Rebecca Flood.

The Indonesian island could soon be deserted if a controversial new bill is passed, prohibiting the production, sale and consumption of alcohol. If approved in Indonesia, anyone flouting the ban faces 10 years behind bars.

The move affect all of Indonesia’s 34 provinces, including popular destination Bali, famed for its scenery and nightlife.

The bill is being championed by two influential Muslim parties, which in a country of 260 million is the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

The government is currently trying to reconcile the mainly liberal and Hindu provinces of Bali with the conservative Muslim areas, where anyone caught drinking can be caned. Previous attempts to ban alcohol have fallen flat on Indonesia’s secular government, but Muslim parties are now pushing through the plans.

hat-tip Stephen Neil