Govt forms consumer protection Agency

Govt forms consumer protection Agency

Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After a lengthy delay, the government inaugurated
on Tuesday the National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN), as
mandated by Law No. 8/1999 on consumer protection.

Minister of Industry and Trade Rini Soewandi installed 17
members of the BPKN for the period of 2004-2007.

The members include government officials Teddy Setiadi, Enny
Suhaeni Bakri and Erningsih Haryadi; academics AZ Nasution,
Purwiyatno Hariyadi, Johannes Gunawan and Bernadette Waluyo; and
experts Anwar Ibrahim, Entjeng Shobirin, Syargawi and Hasanuddin.

NGO activists Indah Suksmaningsih, Suartini Hadad and Gunarto,
and businessmen Handaka Santosa, Franciscus Welirang and Rachmat
Gobel are also members of the agency.

Rachmat is a candidate for minister of industry under incoming
president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who will assume office and
announce his cabinet on Wednesday. If Rachmat is selected to the
Cabinet, he would have to resign from the BPKN.

The agency's duties will include giving recommendations to the
government in taking measures to protect consumers, Rini said in
a speech.

She said the delay in inaugurating the BPKN was due to the
lengthy approval process prospective members had to go through at
the House of Representatives.

Indonesian Consumers Foundation chairwoman Indah said that
although the BPKN did not have the power to punish companies for
violating consumers' rights, she was still optimistic the agency
could help protect consumers, particularly given the impressive
backgrounds of its members.

She said the new agency would likely first work on
establishing a code of ethics for manufacturers, and a standard
form of business agreements with consumers in the property,
banking and insurance industries.