Yogya women run out of sanitary napkins

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Women here have added another item to their worry list of things running short in this economic crisis: sanitary napkins.

Some women have complained they cannot find the feminine napkins anywhere in the city. Store managers are in a state of shock because some disappointed customers have accused them of hoarding the commodity.

The government has repeatedly threatened to punish severely anyone caught hoarding essential foodstuffs and other strategic commodities for their own interests.

Lilik Agung, the assistant manager at Gelael Department Store, said: "The consumers were very upset because they found no more feminine napkins in stock here. And they called us profiteers who never think about other people's emergency needs."

Lilik told The Jakarta Post Tuesday that only expensive sanitary napkins were still available at the store.

"The price is Rp 7,000 (90 US cents) per box for brands such as Laurier Wings and Softex Ultra Dry," said Lilik. Each box usually contains between five and ten napkins.

Cheaper sanitary napkins cost about Rp 1,000 per box.

Mirota supermarket on Jl. Cik di Tiro has imposed a quota of two boxes per customer. It was not clear whether only women would be allowed to buy the napkins.

"Should I use primitive ways when my period comes?" said an angry Mirota customer who tried to buy more than two boxes. She did not elaborate on what she meant by "primitive ways". (23/prb)