Government wants antimonopoly law in place by December

JAKARTA (JP): The government is targeting to have an antimonopoly law on the books by the end of the year to foster healthier business competition in the country, an official said Monday.

The secretary-general of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Muchtar, said the government had submitted the draft of the antimonopoly bill to the House of Representatives (DPR), which would start its deliberations next month.

"The antimonopoly draft will be deliberated in October or November and is expected to be completed by the beginning of December or the end of the year at the latest," Muchtar told reporters after opening a seminar on the draft.

It contains items forbidding the centralization of economic activities in one person or business group, he said.

Muchtar believed the law would eliminate the unhealthy business climate created by distorted and monopolistic practices which created an inefficient economy.

President B.J. Habibie, who is German-educated, requested assistance from the German government to draft and implement the law.

An advisor to the German team, Wolfgang Kartte, said a market economy like that of Indonesia could not function well without a good competition law, based on experiences from the United States and Europe.

Kartte, who served as a president at the German Antimonopoly Board for 16 years, said the implementation of the law would need a strong base of human resources, including trained judges, lawyers and legal experts and staff, he said.

The German embassy and the German Technical Cooperation GTZ together with the Konrad Adenauer, Friedrich Ebert, Hanns Seidel and Friedrich Naumann foundations will hold seven seminars, each lasting a week, to introduce all potential aspects and problems on the law and its implementation.

The first seminar began on Monday will last until Friday. The remaining seminars will start on subsequent Mondays in the coming weeks. (das)