The Cooking Oil Polemic Still Continues, Members Of The House Of Representatives Question Producer And Distributor Nationalism

Illustration of cooking oil. (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - The problem of cooking oil has not been resolved either. Although now the stock is starting to become available, but the price makes people scream.

The cooking oil crisis that never ended was under the spotlight of a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Bambang Dwi Hartono. He also questioned the spirit of nationalism of cooking oil producers and distributors.

"Looking at the reality on the ground, businessmen and the Minister of Trade are not exaggerating to call themselves 'blind' themselves from people's difficulties. Their policies from the start did not provide a solution. Instead, they burdened the community," said Bambang, as quoted by Antara, Sunday, March 20.

Bambang said that when the Highest Retail Price (HET) was determined, cooking oil disappeared from the market. Then the policy was changed by submitting the price to the market mechanism.

"Surprising and at the same time making merry, cooking oil stocks immediately filled supermarket shelves and markets. But the price was very expensive. Well, he said it was rare because CPO was constrained so that production stagnated? Why after the price was not determined, it went up so it was expensive, there were more stocks?" he said.

For this reason, Bambang DH questioned the spirit of nationalism of cooking oil producers and distributors, who were willing to withhold supply and not distribute it immediately. Even though people are screaming every day.

He also asked the Minister of Trade (Minister of Trade) to listen to people's difficulties and make pro-people policies. "Come on, this is our country, this is our nation. We should prosper the people, not certain groups," he said.

According to observations at several supermarkets in Surabaya, the price of packaged cooking oil is currently around Rp. 24,000/liter. Meanwhile, for 2-liter packaging, it reaches Rp. 49,000. They simultaneously sell cooking oil at a price 50 percent more expensive than before.

To note, the government previously set the HET at Rp. 14,000 per liter of premium packaged cooking oil, Rp. 13,500 per liter of simple packaged cooking oil, and Rp. 11,500 per liter of bulk cooking oil.

It is known that the Minister of Trade (Mendag) Muhamamd Lutfi previously stated, as of March 16, 2022, his party issued the Minister of Trade Regulation (Permendag) No. 11/2022 which revoked the HET provision of the Minister of Trade Regulation No. 06/2022 regarding the Determination of the Highest Retail Price for Cooking Oil.

"This Minister of Trade Regulation has been in effect since it was promulgated," said Lutfi during a working meeting (Raker) with Commission VI of the DPR RI regarding the Discussion on Commodity Prices and the Readiness of the Ministry of Trade in Stabilizing Prices and Supply of Basic Necessities Ahead of Fasting and Lebaran, Thursday, March 17 yesterday.