Consumers foundation stresses its impartiality

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation stressed yesterday it received complaints with an open mind so as not to be exploited by business rivals.

Foundation chief Tini Hadad said the foundation was always wary of the possibility that a complaint was filed by a business group aiming to discredit competitors.

"With their complaint lodged with the foundation and published in the media, people hope these products won't sell," she was quoted as saying by Antara.

She said her organization verified the name and address of consumers who filed complaints before deciding whether to act.

"We ignore all anonymous complaints on the assumption they come from a manufacturer who wants to discredit his or her competitors," she said.

Last year the most complaints lodged with the foundation dealt with the unsatisfactory quality of biscuits, syrup, dates, drinking chocolate, formula milk, bottled water, meat, soft drinks, chili sauce and cakes.

Tini said consumers reported the goods they had bought were beyond their sell-by date, stank and were distasteful.

Presenting the foundation's assessment of this year's public services, Tini noted "significant improvements" over last year in the recent Idul Fitri transport services.

At Jakarta's Pulogadung bus terminal, for example, transport authorities built more entrances and exits for buses to reduce congestion.

She also praised the government for its ability to control prices of basic household goods shortly before and after the Idul Fitri holiday.

"Last year, prices around the Idul Fitri holiday season rose by up to 100 percent.

"The government has succeeded in stabilizing prices of foodstuffs this year as it provided more than enough supplies for the Idul Fitri season," she added.

Tini said the state-owned telecommunications company PT Telkom should improve its services as it ranked third after housing and electronic products in terms of the number of consumer complaints received this year. (imn)