Unlike The Minister Of Trade Lutfi, The Police Confirm That There Is No Cooking Oil Mafia But A Lot Of Impromptu Traders

Head of the National Police Food Task Force Inspector General Helmy Santika/DOK VOI-Rizky Adytia

JAKARTA - The National Police's Food Task Force has yet to find the mafia behind the high price of cooking oil. The facts found are only the rise of impromptu traders or resellers.

"What was found in the field was quite a number of impromptu traders, resellers and business actors," said the Head of the National Police's Food Task Force Inspector General Helmy Santika when confirmed, Wednesday, March 23.

The impromptu traders use social media to sell cooking oil. They also do not follow the government's policy regarding the Highest Retail Price (HET).

"Business actors who do not follow government policies," said Helmy.

With these findings, the phenomenon of high cooking oil prices is not due to mafia or cartel practices which have become an issue lately.

"So for now, our findings are more personal for business actors, not the cooking oil mafia," said Helmy.

In addition, based on research and information gathering in the field, the main factor causing the high price of cooking oil is due to an increase in raw materials.

So that the economic calculation of the price of cooking oil will increase.

"The high price of cooking oil is due to the increase in the main raw material for MGS (Palm Cooking Oil, ed)," said Helmy.

For information, the price of cooking oil has increased significantly. Rumors circulated that the cause was naughty practices from certain individuals.

Previously, Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi stated that the police would announce the suspected cooking oil mafia on Monday, March 21.

Lutfi said he had pocketed the names of a number of suspects who caused cooking oil in the community to be expensive and scarce.

Lutfi said the step was taken to ensure that the cooking oil mafia could be dealt with by applicable law. In addition, he wants to reject the slanted assumption that the government has lost in dealing with the cooking oil mafia.

“The government has never relented, let alone lost to the mafia. I'm sure they will be arrested," said Lutfi.