KPPU Investigate Alleged Monopoly Of Fuel Sales At Sadeng Port, Gunungkidul

Illustrations - Fishermen are active on board the ship that docks on Sadeng Beach, Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta. PHOTO ANTARA/Herka Yanis Pangaribowo

YOGYAKARTA - The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) of the Yogyakarta VII Regional Office is investigating the alleged monopoly on the sale of industrial diesel fuel at the Sadeng Beach Fisheries Port (PPP), Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta Special Region.

"We have received the complaint and are currently starting to carry out an initial investigation by calling the parties to understand the situation," said Head of Law Enforcement of the Yogyakarta KPPU Regional Office, Kamal Barok, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 28.

He said the case came from the public who reported alleged violations of Law Number 5 of 1999 concerning the Prohibition of Monopoly Practices and Unhealthy Business Competition in the sale of industrial diesel fuel as well as the control of capture fisheries business activities at PPP Sadeng.

"Currently, we are still investigating all the information obtained and data and information collection is being carried out from various related parties," he said.

From the substance of the report, said Kamal, the initial suspicion shows that there are shipiers or large fishermen who have long controlled business activities at PPP Sadeng.

Kamal stated that the alleged violation stemmed from an agreement between a large ship entrepreneur as a financier and an industrial fuel solar agent who used the cooperative to bind the agreement.

"The agreement requires or limits the purchase of industrial diesel fuel at PPP Sadeng only through cooperatives with certain suppliers," he said.

In fact, for industrial diesel fuel, every fishing boat entrepreneur should be free to buy from any official agent.

The existence of an agreement that binds purchases only to certain parties, continued Kamal, has the potential to violate the provisions in Law Number 5 of 1999.

The KPPU is currently investigating indications of violations of Article 17, Article 19, and Article 24 of Law Number 5 of 1999 to ensure legal certainty and create a healthy business climate for fishermen and ship entrepreneurs at PPP Sadeng.

"We urge business actors and cooperatives not to practice or agreements that limit the market, causing unfair business competition," said Kamal.