YLKI told to fight harder for consumer protection

YLKI told to fight harder for consumer protection

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation has been
urged to be more aggressive in its fight for greater consumer
protection.

Noted economist Didiek J. Rachbini said at a panel discussion
yesterday that the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) should
pay more attention to issues which have social, economic and
political implications.

The discussion, chaired by senior journalist Fikri Djufri, was
held in conjunction with YLKI's 24th anniversary which falls on
Sunday.

Among the speakers were Indonesian Retailers Association
chairman Steve Sondakh, former YLKI chairperson Zumrotin K.
Soesilo, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade's director of
trade Ismail Din Wahab.

Didiek said, "There are many crucial matters that affect
consumers' rights such as land and housing ownership."

YLKI should also be active in protecting consumers against
government policies which favor businesspeople, Didiek said.

Consumers, he said, must be educated and prepared to face an
era of stiffer competitive. "... the Indonesian market will be
flooded by products from domestic and foreign sources. If local
consumers are not aware of their rights, they will be easily
cheated by producers," Didiek said.

Consumers should remember they have the right to sound goods,
to receive excellent service and to be protected, he added.

Since l973, YLKI has been conducting research, information
dissemination and publication activities in addition to working
with other domestic and foreign non-governmental organizations.

"After 24 years of operation, YLKI must have a more high-level
lobbying with government agencies and in the business circle,"
Didiek said.

YLKI chairperson Tini Hadad admitted it was extremely
difficult to teach local consumers to be more critical.

"Many of them are used to accepting any irregularities. They
are not used to protesting if they do not receive the best public
service, such as in the case of the recent electricity blackout,"
Tini said.

The foundation filed a lawsuit against state-owned electricity
company PLN on May 1 for an eight-hour blackout last month.

The foundation, represented by the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute
leveled the charge in a class action suit.

"This suit is important in order to make people realize that
it is their right to receive the best service from any public
service company," Tini said.

However, she admitted it was still very hard to take legal
action against a company.

"We still don't have any law on consumer protection. Our legal
standing would be stronger if a consumers law were passed," she
said.

The agency has unsuccessfully struggled for the issuance of
the law since l980 when a draft on consumer protection was first
submitted.

YLKI's campaign for the law received tepid response from the
House of Representative and no action has been taken.

"It is up the government's political will to pass a law on
consumer protection," Tini said. (raw/icn)