Steps To Prevent Hoarding Of Masks Amid The COVID-19 Outbreak

Illustration (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo announced that two Depok residents were positive for the corona virus or COVID-19. The community began to take preventive measures, including looking for masks to use while on the move.

Since the information about the spread of corona in Wuhan, China, the need for masks has increased, including in Indonesia. The high demand made the price of masks soar. Its availability in several pharmacies and health shops is also hard to find.

It is feared that the scarcity and high price of masks is due to the play of irresponsible individuals who deliberately hoard them.

To prevent this, the police have precautionary measures, one of which is by monitoring all activities of buying and selling masks or their manufacture.

Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Yusri Yunus said that monitoring of the distribution of masks will be carried out directly or indirectly. This means that the process of buying and selling medical devices conventionally and online will continue to be monitored to maintain price stability.

"We will monitor everything. We have cyber patrols, we will monitor everything, including where they can commit this crime, be it hoarding or making it illegally," said Yusri in Jakarta, Monday, March 2.

While waiting for indications of mask hoarding, the National Police will focus on giving advice to conventional mask sellers not to commit acts that violate the crime.

When there are indications of hoarding or price play, the police will take firm action in accordance with Article 107 of Law Number 7 of 2014 concerning Trade with the threat of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of IDR 50 billion.

This article regulates the prohibition for business actors to store basic necessities or essential goods in a certain amount and time when goods are scarce, price fluctuations or traffic barriers to trade in goods occur.

"Most importantly, in a preventive manner, we appeal to these actors that it should not be. Our society needs these masks. Don't take advantage of yourself and continue to harm the community," said Yusri.

Separately, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto explained, with the high price of masks on the market, the use of medical devices is only compulsory for sufferers or someone who is indicated to have contracted the corona virus.

"(The use of masks) the sick who are wearing, the unhealthy ones, don't use them first. Because if the price is scarcity and so on, that's the market," said Terawan.

With not many people looking for masks, automatically the price of medical devices will decrease. This is also in accordance with the economic impact.

"Because after all people buy and sell, that's the law of the market, the less looking for it the less expensive it is," said Terawan.