Foodstuffs to go 'on sale' at city's temporary bazaars

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration is to hold bazaars offering basic commodities for low prices to help residents cope with the lack of stocks and skyrocketing prices of food.

A senior officer from the regional economic bureau, Djodjo Sutardjo, said yesterday the bazaars would be held in 44 places, including mini marts and open fields, in various subdistricts in Central Jakarta from Monday until next month.

The bazaars -- jointly sponsored by the city chapter of State Logistics Agency (Dolog Jaya) -- will then be held in subdistricts of the city's other four mayoralties, Djodjo said.

"We strongly hope that the cheap markets could really help most Jakartans, particularly low-income people, who have been facing difficulties in purchasing staple foods due to the high prices and the lack of certain commodities during this economic crisis."

Among the goods to be offered at the bazaars -- to be held three times a week -- are rice, sugar and soya beans.

He said he could not guarantee that the organizers could also provide cooking oil during the fairs due to unconfirmed participation from producers.

The prices of merchandise at the bazaars will be below market prices as the goods will be supplied by Dolog Jaya, he said.

"The bazaars around the city will be held three times a week until next month's general session of the People's Consultative Assembly, Djodjo said.

Traditionally, the city administration and various government and private institutions here have held charitable fairs prior to Idul Fitri so low-income residents could buy basic goods for the holiday.

A week before Idul Fitri the prices of goods usually increase due to growing public demand.

But it is believed to be the first time bazaars have been held in the capital after the holiday for many years.

The city has held a series of market operations recently to help maintain the price and distribution of the nine basic commodities by supplying cheap and adequate stocks to traders.

But the bazaars are expected to be more effective than the market operations, Djodjo said.

"Market operations have been misused by traders who hoard goods for their own benefit."

At the bazaars, horders will not be able to operate because the local neighborhood or subdistrict chiefs could easily recognize strangers standing in the queues, he said.

Due to the significant drop in the rupiah's value against the U.S. dollar, the price of most goods and services have soared even though they are not connected with the American greenback.

A becak (pedicab) driver in Tangerang, for instance, has doubled his tariff for a short trip to Rp 1,000.

The price of Indonesian food and beverages at an Es Teller 77 outlet at Blok M Plaza have increased almost 100 percent.

Some staple food sellers at Senen market in Central Jakarta and Jatinegara market in East Jakarta have also complained about the high prices and lack of several commodities, such as cooking oil.

The owner of Rina stall at Jatinegara market said the price of cooking oil increased every hour.

"It's crazy. This morning the price was Rp 6,000 per kilogram but now I should sell it for Rp 6,500," he said.

According to the traders, the unstable condition has made it difficult to set the prices.

Djodjo said Dolog Jaya was aware of the disappearance of cooking oil from markets in Palmerah, West Jakarta, Senen in Central Jakarta, Jatinegara in East Jakarta and Bendungan Hilir in Central Jakarta.

"We have contacted PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, the producer of Bimoli cooking oil, but we have not received any information as there is no answer," he said.

The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) has supported the central government's massive operation to trace those responsible for the lack of goods in the market.

YLKI chairwoman Tini Hadad said Thursday that the foundation also believed the goods had been hoarded by some distributors for their own interests.

"The government should find these deceitful distributors and charge them with serious crimes, including subversion, because they have tormented so many people," she said.

According to Tini, YLKI received between 10 and 20 complaints every day about the sharp increase in prices of various commodities, ranging from foodstuffs to medicines.

"We have often submitted the public complaints to the House of Representatives but, as you know, the House members are getting dumb and deaf now," she said. (ind/bsr)