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