YLKI chief welcomes new consumers bill

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) hailed the endorsement of the Consumers Bill by legislators and urged the speedy issuance of government regulations to support its implementation.

Tini Hadad, the foundation chairwoman, said in a statement on Wednesday that "after fighting (alone) for 18 years, the time has come for the YLKI to say 'welcome'" to the bill endorsed on Tuesday.

She stated the foundation expected the law to be enforced "with a spirit of reform", to protect consumers who "have been systematically oppressed in the political, legal, economic and cultural spheres".

The law is an umbrella act which is greatly needed for the protection of some 200 million consumers, Tini said, adding that without necessary regulations and the socialization of new terms contained in the law, the foundation "feared the bill would only become a 'toothless tiger'".

Cabinet vice secretary Erman Rajagukguk said on Wednesday that President B.J. Habibie would ratify the bill soon.

"The draft of the bill has been stranded for years in the State Secretariat," Rajagukguk said.

Many bills were neglected during the New Order regime to protect the business interests of the Soeharto family, he added.

The Consumer Bill guarantees the rights of consumers to obtain security and comfort when using or consuming products and services and the right to get honest information on products and services.

Producers or traders who violate the law could be imprisoned for up to five years and fined Rp 2 billion (US$250,000).

The law also sanctions the use of misleading advertisements to promote products or services.

Tini acknowledged producers might be affected by the new law after enjoying minimal controls for a long time, but added that eventually the law would benefit their businesses.

"Producers do not need to worry about the law. They should respond positively because the spirit of the law promotes fair trade."

The Foundation also urged immediate introduction of the law to all government offices which would be affected, including the Ministry of Trade and Industry and courts apart from local, national and multinational producers and companies. (prb)