Consumer group adopts more aggressive plan

Consumer group adopts more aggressive plan

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI), which
celebrated its 21st anniversary this month, is planning to adopt
a new, less conventional approach in pushing for greater consumer
protection.

The foundation needs new strategies to strengthen its function
as an organization which supports consumers, its executive
director Zumrotin K.S. said on Saturday.

"We can't depend on our conventional ways anymore. To tell you
the truth I feel frustrated because we have stayed too long with
our conventional ways," she told reporters.

She did not disclose the new approaches being planned.

Az. Nasution, who chairs the foundation's plenary council,
said the group plans to encourage people in Indonesia to insist
on their rights as consumers.

Indonesian consumers should bear in mind that they have the
right to consume safe goods and use public transportation
facilities. "We also have our rights, just as we have duties.
Don't just accept everything," he said.

YLKI has been pressing the government and the House of
Representatives (DPR) to enact legislation on consumer protection
and liabilities of manufacturers and sellers of their products
and services.

The point was raised again on Saturday by Nasution who called
the government irresponsive to its demands, leaving consumers
virtually unprotected from the exploits and abuses of
manufacturers and sellers.

In the absence of such legislation, developers are selling
houses in areas which are prone to floods although their
advertisements suggest that they are flood free, he said.

Advertisements by drug producers very often also mislead the
public, he said.

A law on consumer protection would allow the people to sue
companies for supplying poor quality products, Nasution said.

Nasution added that the foundation sent a draft on consumer
protection law as far back as 1980 to the National Law
Supervision Agency (BPHN). In 1992, YLKI, the Ministry of Trade
and the University of Indonesia wrote another draft.

It is now entirely up to the government to improve on the
draft and present it to the DPR for deliberation, he said.

Since 1973, the foundation has been conducting research,
education, information and publication activities in addition to
organizing cooperation with other non-governmental organizations.

YLKI has branches in Medan, North Sumatra, Yogyakarta and
Ujungpandang in South Sulawesi. (par)