ORI: Rising Staple Food Prices Linked to Public Service Effectiveness
The Indonesian Ombudsman (ORI) assesses that the increase in the price of basic necessities is not only an economic issue but is also related to the effectiveness of public services and the fulfilment of the public’s right to basic needs.
Ombudsman RI member Abdul Ghoffar stated that the rise in basic commodity prices was identified through a survey of prices in several traditional markets across DKI Jakarta, Central Java, and West Nusa Tenggara conducted in May 2026.
“The survey was conducted by the Indonesian Ombudsman as an expression of the implementation of its duties and functions, particularly in the trade sector,” Abdul said in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Through its supervisory function, the Ombudsman is committed to ensuring that every state administrator performs high-quality, high-integrity public services and provides service certainty for the community, including the Trade Policy Agency (BKPerdag) of the Ministry of Trade within the trade sector.
Therefore, moving forward, the Ombudsman hopes for closer coordination and collaboration with BKPerdag to strengthen public service governance, prevent potential maladministration, and encourage the formulation of trade policies that are responsive to the needs and interests of the public.
Previously, Abdul provided guidance during a socialisation event regarding the role and function of the Indonesian Ombudsman for BKPerdag employees in Jakarta on Wednesday (3/6). The activity, which aimed to strengthen the capacity of professional, accountable, and public-service-oriented human resources, was also attended by the Head of BKPerdag, Mardyana Listyowati, Secretary of BKPerdag, Muhammad Suaib Sulaiman, and the entire BKPerdag staff.
BKPerdag is an organisational unit under the Ministry of Trade responsible for conducting analyses and providing policy recommendations in the field of trade to support government decision-making.
In performing its duties and functions, BKPerdag adheres to Presidential Regulation Number 168 of 2024 and Minister of Trade Regulation Number 6 of 2025.
Data from the handling of reports in the first quarter of 2026 shows that the Indonesian Ombudsman’s workload was dominated by public service issues in the fields of agrarian/land, personnel, and education.
He also explained the relevance of the Ombudsman’s role to the duties and functions of BKPerdag. In the process of formulating and implementing policies, the Ombudsman plays a role in supervising aspects of procedural compliance, fairness, and the quality of public services.
During the policy monitoring and evaluation stage, the results of supervision and community reports received by the Indonesian Ombudsman can serve as important input for the government in refining trade policies.
“Additionally, the Ombudsman also conducts supervision over the implementation of administration and information services to ensure they comply with applicable service standards,” he added.