Consumers establish watchdog

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

When the fast-food restaurant he stopped at for dinner served up rat droppings in his bowl of rice, Wirawan had no idea what to do beyond complaining to the restaurant manager, who refused to offer an explanation.

What recourse do consumers have other than the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) when facing specific problems with food products?

The Foundation for Health and Food Products Consumer Protection (LPK2P), which formally opened its doors on Friday, hopes to provide what people like Wirawan need when nobody else is willing to listen or take action.

Marthin Ismawan, the chairman of the LPK2P, said the organization was founded by people concerned with the current situation in which many food and health products were in violation of the law.

"Many products are out there without expiration dates and there are products that have not been registered with the Food and Drug Control Agency," Marthin said.

He encouraged the public to be more concerned and critical toward the products they consume, and to report any problems they encounter to the foundation at 4288-9208.

"We will first engage in talks with the consumer and the company that provided the product in dispute, and only if this fails will we file formal charges against the company."

Marthin said that within the next two weeks the foundation planned to conduct surveys to determine whether medicine and food companies were being responsible toward consumers by complying with the law.

The foundation will identify and classify companies into three categories: those that are being honest and totally compliant with consumer protection laws; those that are less compliant; and companies that are dishonest and blatantly break the law.

The secretary-general of the LPK2P foundation, Sabam Silaban, said a recent survey by the organization found that two out of three food supplement stores at a mall in South Jakarta were selling products that had not been registered with the appropriate government agency.

Marthin said the foundation would work with a number of non- governmental organizations and government agencies, as well as the YLKI, to assist consumers with complaints. (004)