Police officers to assist in food distribution

JAKARTA (JP): Following the panic buying of staple goods Thursday, the National Police has promised they will assist in distributing and monitoring basic commodities throughout the country.

Newly installed National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said Saturday that Police Chief Gen. Dibyo Widodo had instructed police officers to be on alert to quickly detect any disturbances arising from possible panic buying.

After a special top-level police meeting Saturday, Dibyo ordered police to coordinate efforts with other branches of the Armed Forces to ensure the flow of the nine basic commodities -- rice, sugar, salt, salted-fish, detergent, mori fabric, cooking oil, kerosene and synthetic materials.

Buyers suddenly crammed shops and markets here Thursday afternoon procuring basic commodities, such as rice, sugar and cooking oil, in large quantities.

The panic buying subsided Friday and yesterday but purchases were still said to be higher than normal.

In contrast to Jakarta, the situation in most regional markets grew milder following the government's appeal Friday to remain calm, assuring the country that it had a large supply of food commodities to last until March.

In Medan, North Sumatra, the Armed Forces was preparing to open cheap markets at every military district command to sell basic commodities should food prices soar in private stores.

The commander of Bukit Barisan Military Command, Maj. Gen. T. Rizal Nurdin, was quoted by Antara as saying that residents would be invited to make purchases by first showing their identity and household cards.

Rizal urged sellers to stop raising food prices, arguing that basic commodities had no direct relationship with the plunge of the rupiah against U.S. dollar.

In Batam, Riau, traditional markets were calmer yesterday while shopping centers were still packed with buyers.

Many consumers, particularly housewives, lamented the price of basic foods which had sharply increased since Friday.

Most people said they preferred traditional markets as prices were still reasonable compared to supermarkets.

In Central Java, Governor Soewardi said he would allow trucks transporting staple foods and commodities to exceed, within a safe range, the legal weight limit set for trucks when they are weighed at weigh stations.

"I ordered all crews at weigh stations to let trucks which are overloaded with the nine basic commodities to pass, as long as the weight is still safe and reasonable," he said during a surprise inspection at the Tugu weigh station in Semarang, Central Java, Saturday. (09)