Govrnment supports House antimonopoly bill
Govrnment supports House antimonopoly bill
JAKARTA (JP): The government will support an antimonopoly bill
recently drafted by the House of Representatives, Minister of
Industry and Trade Rahardi Ramelan said on Wednesday.
"This draft represents the people's aspirations because it was
drafted by the House of Representatives. It is a milestone in the
country's political and democratic history," Rahardi told
reporters after a House plenary session.
A team of 34 legislators crafted the bill, an exercise not
performed by the national legislature since 1971.
Rahardi said the government would start studying the bill with
a House special committee on Monday.
"We hope to finish adjustments in six months, and the
government would then establish regulations and presidential
decrees related to the law," he said.
Asked whether the government would submit its own antimonopoly
bill, Rahardi indicated that no draft existed that could be
forwarded to the legislature.
"I don't have any other draft aside from this one," he said,
contradicting a previous statement that a government team was
preparing its own antimonopoly bill.
The government will, however, contribute its views and give
input to the House bill, he said.
For nearly 30 years, the government had drafted bills and
submitted them to the House for deliberation before being
approved by the president. This time, the House beat out any
government plans to submit a bill on the issue.
The legislation, dubbed the Prohibition of Monopoly Practices
Bill, consists of 11 articles and 53 subsections.
It regulates and prohibits all kinds of business practices or
agreements which could distort market competition, establishes a
commission on business competition to monitor the law's
implementation and sets both criminal and administrative charges
against violators.
Rahardi said the government backed the establishment of such a
commission to oversee business competition in the country.
"This kind of commission is common in other countries, like
the Federal Trade Commission in the United States," he said.
In article six, the bill stipulates an independent commission
be established, consisting of a chairman, two deputies and 27
members from 20 provinces.
The commission would be appointed by presidential decree and
would be ultimately responsible to the president.
The commission members would consist of business figures,
economists and legal experts proposed by the Chamber of Commerce
and Industry to the government through the House.
It would have the authority to evaluate business agreements
and activities for indications of monopolistic practices and
would have the authority to take action against violators.
It would also act as an advisor to the government on measures
related to monopoly practices, regularly reporting to the
president and the House.
The bill would allow a six-month adjustment period starting
from the law's effective date to allow businesses to comply with
the new regulations. (das)