MPR Chairman Urges Government To Control Food Prices

Illustration/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The chairman of the MPR, Bambang Soesatyo, encourages the government to immediately intervene in the market as an effort to monitor and control the prices of a number of food commodities that are experiencing price increases so that they remain below the highest retail price limit (HET).

"Considering that without government intervention and proper handling, it is feared that the price spike will be even higher, especially ahead of Eid al-Fitr," he said in a statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, March 8.

He made this statement in response to the wave of food price increases that appeared repeatedly in early 2022. A number of food commodities experienced price increases, such as cooking oil, soybeans, meat, to chili commodities which have the potential to increase in price.

Furthermore, he also asked for the government's commitment to pay serious attention to the increase in the price of food commodities in the market, especially to some commodities that often experience price increases before the holiday.

"By looking directly at the conditions and obstacles in the field by referring to the law of the market," he said.

As for the law of the market, what he means is, when the quantity demanded of an item is greater than the supply, it will cause an increase in the price of certain commodities.

He encouraged the Ministry of Trade together with relevant stakeholders to ensure the availability of food or basic materials for the community, especially ahead of Ramadan in order to prevent the phenomenon of panic buying due to stock shortages in a number of commodities.

"The government must be serious in ensuring the availability of food commodities, as well as maintaining stability in food prices and basic food prices on the market," he said.

The government can show this seriousness by routinely carrying out market operations so that prices can return to stability and do not burden or reduce people's purchasing power.