New law on consumer protection
New law on consumer protection
From Media Indonesia
Finally, after a lone fight for 18 years, the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) can welcome an agreed draft law on consumer protection that will be passed into a law. In any case, the law is an umbrella that is desperately needed to protect Indonesia's more than 200 million consumers.
YLKI would like to express its sincere gratitude to all sides who have shown a political will to launch the law on consumer protection.
However, YLKI would also like to make the following critical notes on the law, both juridical aspects and the findings of monitoring in the field.
1. YLKI appeals to the authorities to widely socialize the law as soon as possible to the community, the media, legal institutions like courts of justice and prosecutor offices, related technical departments and all agencies bearing a direct or indirect impact of the law. Especially the Ministry of Industry and Trade should communicate with the judiciary; also with producers and traders at local, national and multinational level.
2. YLKI requests the government to issue, as soon as possible, regulations on implementation, especially the articles requiring explanations. It fears that if this is not done speedily, the law will become a toothless tiger, unfit for implementation.
3. YLKI hopes that the implementation of the law is accompanied by the spirit of reform, especially in the field, to protect consumers who have so far been suppressed systematically from the political, legal, economic and cultural aspects.
4. YLKI is concerned that the implementation of the law will not benefit consumers if it is not accompanied by consistent law enforcement. If this happens, the hope of over 200 million consumers who have been looking forward to such law will go up in smoke.
Consumers should, therefore, join in the control (both directly and indirectly) of the implementation of the law. The government (related agencies) should socialize important issues mentioned in the law, such as a small-claims court, class actions, standard agreements, etc.
5. Producers should not be afraid of the new law. They should respond positively to it because the spirit of the law only aims at fair trade.
TINI HADAD
YLKI Chair
Jakarta