Campaign worries affect consumers

Campaign worries affect consumers

We hope the government will consider all the negative implications of the current political activities in terms of guaranteeing that the people's most basic needs are met. At present, a looming shortage of supplies, possible snags in the provision of goods and a tendency for people to hoard has already started to become evident.

All this constitutes an additional burden for the government, because the role of the government agency that used to be responsible for guaranteeing adequate supplies (the Bulog national logistics agency) has been reduced. At the same time it must be remembered that the government has its hands full looking after other matters.

If the current process of establishing democracy should bring chaos, the impact on the people will be really tremendous. The position of consumers is at present at its lowest. People lack purchasing power and prices of essential goods are determined by the market players. This is the risk which the much-touted free market system brings.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta