GAPMMI Affirms The Importance Of Collaboration In Implementing PP 28 Of 2024

General Chairperson of GAPMMI Adhi Lukman. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Association of Indonesian Food and Beverage Producers (GAPMMI) emphasized the importance of collaboration and harmonization in the implementation of Government Regulation (PP) Number 28 of 2024 as the implementation of Law (UU) Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health.

General Chairperson of GAPMMI Adhi Lukman said that his party remains adamant in prioritizing the importance of impact studies and risks supported by comprehensive scientific data.

"GAPMMI feels the need to be involved and together with the Government to straighten things out about sugar, salt and fat (GGL) through good and balanced food consumption education to the public," Adhi said in his statement, in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Thursday, August 29.

One of the goals of issuing PP Number 28 of 2024 is to reduce the number of Infectious Diseases (PTM) in the community.

GAPMMI fully supports this good goal to create a healthier society by reducing Infectious Diseases (PTM).

"The main thing is the importance of collaboration and harmonization between ministries and institutions as well as relevant stakeholders regarding the regulations to be issued," he said.

However, so far GAPMMI has never been involved in the formulation of the regulation, even though the packaged food and food and beverage industry is the main actor.

Adhi assessed that there has been no comprehensive study which includes risk studies and comprehensive impacts that arise.

He also reminded the risk factors for PTM put forward by the Government as the goal of PP No. 28 of 2024, due to many factors that include lifestyle, lack of physical activity, lack of fluid intake into the body, stress management and incommensurate consumption patterns of food and drinks.

Conditions of health problems do not come from shortages or excesses of consuming certain types of food, so they do not only come from processed food consumption.

Only determining the maximum limit for sugar, salt, fat in processed food products will not be effective in reducing the number of non-communicable diseases, due to the consumption of sugar, salt, community fat, only a small part of which is contributed by processed food products.

In fact, he also said, restrictions on sugar, salt and fat content will affect the function of technology and food formulation.

There are almost no food products that do not contain sugar, salt, and fat except mineral water.

Meanwhile, GAPMMI received information that several derivative regulations for PP No. 28 of 2024, including the regulation of Food Labeling by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) will be accelerated before mid-September 2024, although the standard is still not in harmony with the industry.

Therefore, Adhi hopes that the Government is willing to postpone the derivative regulations and create roadmaps to piloting with stakeholders.

"State sovereignty should be the main goal, not just the interests of some groups that are taken into consideration but have the potential to weaken the nation's competitiveness," said Adhi.