Said Didu Asks Jokowi To Take Over: Trade Minister Unable To Solve Cooking Oil Crisis

JAKARTA - Former Secretary to the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), Muhammad Said Didu, assessed that the Minister of Trade, Muhammad Lutfi could not solve the problem of scarcity of cooking oil in the country.

"The Minister of Trade cannot and is not able to solve this problem [the scarcity of cooking oil]," wrote Said Didu on his Twitter account, @msaid_didu, quoted by VOI, Friday 11 March. According to him, the cooking oil crisis in Indonesia can only be solved by a person whose duties and functions are above the ministerial ranks. "It needs a decision from a higher level," he added.

As is known, cooking oil has been in short supply in the country since the end of 2021. At that time, cooking oil sold in the market rose from the market price.

The government then issued a policy by leveling the selling price of cooking oil on January 27, 2022. The price of premium packaged oil on the market was Rp. 14,000 per liter.

Meanwhile, the price of simple packaged cooking oil is Rp. 13,500 per liter, and the price of bulk cooking oil is Rp. 11,500 per liter.

The Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita then went to the field to check the price of cooking oil and its availability in traditional markets in a number of regions.

However, the availability of cooking oil is still scarce in March 2022, even though the government has set a one-price policy.