Metro Police Food Task Force Warns Traders Not to Sell Staples Above Maximum Retail Price
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda Metro Jaya) food task force carried out monitoring of basic commodity prices at Koja Baru Market in North Jakarta. Head of the Industrial and Trade Subdivision at the Polda Metro Jaya Special Crimes Directorate, Senior Commissioner Muhammad Ardila Amry, reminded traders not to sell staple goods above the maximum retail price (HET).
"In addition to pre-emptive measures, we also undertake preventive steps. The preventive action we carry out involves continuous daily monitoring," Ardila told reporters at the location on Thursday (19 February 2026).
Beyond monitoring, the Trade Office, which also attended the inspection, issued administrative warnings to traders selling commodities above the maximum retail price (HET) or government reference price (HAP).
"There are also administrative warnings issued by our colleagues from the Trade Office to traders who do not sell these commodities in accordance with the maximum retail price (HET) or government reference price (HAP)," he explained.
He said traders who had been warned but continued to violate the rules would be recommended for revocation of their business licences.
"For those who still offend after being given a warning, a recommendation will be made to the relevant agency to revoke their business licences," he said.
"However, some of these traders do not yet hold business licences. Therefore, our team will also intervene with regard to the renewal of stall contracts for traders who do not comply with government regulations," he added.
Meanwhile, Head of the Planning, Cooperation and Public Relations Bureau at the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Budi Waryanto, said the joint inspections with the Polda Metro Jaya food task force would extend to cover Tangerang and surrounding areas. This is being done to guarantee the availability of basic food supplies for the public in the lead-up to Eid al-Fitr.
"We wish to convey that this is a concerted effort to ensure the public receives guaranteed availability of basic food supplies through to Lebaran. We already ensured this during the Christmas and New Year period. The key thing is that we have established where stocks are coming from and whether supplies will remain secure through Lebaran," he said.
"Secondly, of course, there is the matter of prices, as each is regulated through government policy. For example, rice and cooking oil have a maximum retail price. For instance, the MinyakKita branded cooking oil — our colleagues from Bulog will be able to confirm that it must not exceed the HET. And thankfully, over the three days leading up to Ramadan, I was informed that supplies have been quite plentiful," he concluded.
"In addition to pre-emptive measures, we also undertake preventive steps. The preventive action we carry out involves continuous daily monitoring," Ardila told reporters at the location on Thursday (19 February 2026).
Beyond monitoring, the Trade Office, which also attended the inspection, issued administrative warnings to traders selling commodities above the maximum retail price (HET) or government reference price (HAP).
"There are also administrative warnings issued by our colleagues from the Trade Office to traders who do not sell these commodities in accordance with the maximum retail price (HET) or government reference price (HAP)," he explained.
He said traders who had been warned but continued to violate the rules would be recommended for revocation of their business licences.
"For those who still offend after being given a warning, a recommendation will be made to the relevant agency to revoke their business licences," he said.
"However, some of these traders do not yet hold business licences. Therefore, our team will also intervene with regard to the renewal of stall contracts for traders who do not comply with government regulations," he added.
Meanwhile, Head of the Planning, Cooperation and Public Relations Bureau at the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Budi Waryanto, said the joint inspections with the Polda Metro Jaya food task force would extend to cover Tangerang and surrounding areas. This is being done to guarantee the availability of basic food supplies for the public in the lead-up to Eid al-Fitr.
"We wish to convey that this is a concerted effort to ensure the public receives guaranteed availability of basic food supplies through to Lebaran. We already ensured this during the Christmas and New Year period. The key thing is that we have established where stocks are coming from and whether supplies will remain secure through Lebaran," he said.
"Secondly, of course, there is the matter of prices, as each is regulated through government policy. For example, rice and cooking oil have a maximum retail price. For instance, the MinyakKita branded cooking oil — our colleagues from Bulog will be able to confirm that it must not exceed the HET. And thankfully, over the three days leading up to Ramadan, I was informed that supplies have been quite plentiful," he concluded.