Books and paper price

Books and paper price

From Media Indonesia

Indonesia's economic malaise will eventually affect the education sector.

A weak currency has resulted in the price of paper soaring to beyond reasonable limits. A number of newspapers and magazines, such as Sinar and Aura have ceased publication. Book publishers face similar difficulties and it is now difficult for media proprietors to set affordable prices because of an increase in their production costs. Many book publishers have gone bankrupt and many more will follow suit.

Under normal circumstances, as we move toward the new school year in March, books publishers would be very busy. This year they are not. Scarcity and the high cost of available books will in turn discourage students from buying books and this will hinder their education, especially for children from low income groups.

The government should intervene and abolish monopolistic and oligopolistic practices in the paper business in Indonesia. It should also abolish taxes imposed on paper and books and lower the reference price of paper in the market.

In their turn, paper producers must also lower their prices and loyalty to national interests by ensuring sufficient availability of paper supplies.

Ikapi (the Indonesian Association of Publishers) and SPS (the Association of Newspapers Publishers) should also take an active role in seeking a lower price for paper, as should the community at large.

HANRI BASFI

Jakarta