National Food Agency chief demands zero tolerance for food distribution violators
Jakarta (ANTARA) — National Food Agency (Bapanas) head and Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has called on the Food Task Force to take firm action against food distribution violators without tolerance, ensuring the public can access goods at government-determined prices.
"To all my fellow business people, please do not play games during the holy month of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah. If anyone raises prices, they will be dealt with. The National Police will act immediately," said Amran in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday.
Amran underscored the matter following the discovery of MinyaKita subsidised cooking oil at Kebayoran Lama Market in Jakarta being sold above the government-set maximum retail price (HET) of Rp15,700 per litre. He found the subsidised oil being sold at Rp19,000 per litre.
He purchased two litres of the oil from one of the traders at the market.
Bapanas confirmed that the company previously involved in the food distribution violation had already been legally processed and was no longer operating.
According to Amran, the oil in circulation was leftover stock from a company that had been distributing it for some time.
"It turns out this company, PT Tunas Agro, has already been dealt with. So this appears to be old stock — the case file has been declared complete [P21] and suspects have been named," Amran revealed.
He stressed that should similar practices be discovered again or new distribution from the same pattern emerge, firm action would be taken without compromise.
"So this is the residual stock. If more goods like this come in again, we will act again, name suspects again. Enough — we will just imprison them," Amran said firmly.
"These people are causing hardship. So, once again, the company has already been dealt with. This appears to be leftover stock from the previous enforcement action," he added.
Furthermore, he said oversight was no longer limited to mere appeals. Bapanas, together with the Clean Sweep Task Force (Satgas Saber) for Price Violations, Food Safety and Quality, is now operating intensively across all regions on a daily basis. Every violation report is promptly investigated and followed up in the field.
"Operations are continuous. Our teams are now deployed not just in my capacity as Agriculture Minister but as Bapanas head — teams across all of Indonesia. The offices are empty now; the teams are out monitoring. If there is a price increase, report it and it will be dealt with. No more persuasion — just enforcement," he said.
Nevertheless, the government is not opposed to business operators. However, profits must not be obtained in ways that harm the public, particularly during national religious holiday (HBKN) periods.
He also reiterated that regulations are clear, including provisions on prices below the maximum retail price (HET) and the Reference Selling Price (HAP), which all food sector business operators are obliged to comply with.
"Once again, we ask — we have no intention of disrupting those doing business, but the entire food commodities sector must comply with existing regulations, namely selling below the maximum retail price, the HET," said Amran.
"To all my fellow business people, please do not play games during the holy month of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah. If anyone raises prices, they will be dealt with. The National Police will act immediately," said Amran in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday.
Amran underscored the matter following the discovery of MinyaKita subsidised cooking oil at Kebayoran Lama Market in Jakarta being sold above the government-set maximum retail price (HET) of Rp15,700 per litre. He found the subsidised oil being sold at Rp19,000 per litre.
He purchased two litres of the oil from one of the traders at the market.
Bapanas confirmed that the company previously involved in the food distribution violation had already been legally processed and was no longer operating.
According to Amran, the oil in circulation was leftover stock from a company that had been distributing it for some time.
"It turns out this company, PT Tunas Agro, has already been dealt with. So this appears to be old stock — the case file has been declared complete [P21] and suspects have been named," Amran revealed.
He stressed that should similar practices be discovered again or new distribution from the same pattern emerge, firm action would be taken without compromise.
"So this is the residual stock. If more goods like this come in again, we will act again, name suspects again. Enough — we will just imprison them," Amran said firmly.
"These people are causing hardship. So, once again, the company has already been dealt with. This appears to be leftover stock from the previous enforcement action," he added.
Furthermore, he said oversight was no longer limited to mere appeals. Bapanas, together with the Clean Sweep Task Force (Satgas Saber) for Price Violations, Food Safety and Quality, is now operating intensively across all regions on a daily basis. Every violation report is promptly investigated and followed up in the field.
"Operations are continuous. Our teams are now deployed not just in my capacity as Agriculture Minister but as Bapanas head — teams across all of Indonesia. The offices are empty now; the teams are out monitoring. If there is a price increase, report it and it will be dealt with. No more persuasion — just enforcement," he said.
Nevertheless, the government is not opposed to business operators. However, profits must not be obtained in ways that harm the public, particularly during national religious holiday (HBKN) periods.
He also reiterated that regulations are clear, including provisions on prices below the maximum retail price (HET) and the Reference Selling Price (HAP), which all food sector business operators are obliged to comply with.
"Once again, we ask — we have no intention of disrupting those doing business, but the entire food commodities sector must comply with existing regulations, namely selling below the maximum retail price, the HET," said Amran.