PKS Asks DKI Provincial Government To Operate Cooking Oil Market Even Though Ministry Of Trade Has Banned It

Commission B working meeting of DKI Jakarta DPRD/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - Chairman of the PKS faction of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Achmad Yani, asked the DKI Provincial Government and the relevant BUMDs to hold a market operation that sells cooking oil at affordable prices.

It was emphasized that market operations in DKI were still needed even though the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) had ordered the head of the agency in charge of trade to stop the operation of the cooking oil market.

"If this market operation is carried out, the public may be able to get a cheap price. Please, I think it should be despite the advice (from the Ministry of Trade), just keep going," said Yani in a working meeting at Commission B of the DKI DPRD, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, March 23.

Yani said his request was not without reason. During the recess, Yani admitted that he often received complaints from the public regarding the current scarcity and high price of cooking oil.

"I'm also a little concerned, yesterday I went to the community, every recess, they asked 'Sir, please help the market operation'. One of the needs is cooking oil. But they were told to shop again at certain trading places. ," he explained.

Yani assessed that the Ministry of Trade's policy of prohibiting market operations was only to benefit entrepreneurs. Therefore, plans to resume market operations need to be discussed immediately.

"Bulk oil may be for the community from MSMEs and so on. But the packaging is from entrepreneurs. We side with the people. I think this needs to be communicated so that there is no shortage," he concluded.

Previously, the DKI Provincial Government plans to hold a cheap market in every kelurahan and dozens of outlets owned by the DKI Provincial Government, one of which sells cooking oil. However, it was later cancelled.

The reason is that the Ministry of Trade has revoked the highest retail price (HET) for packaged cooking oil and handed it over to the market mechanism. The government then subsidized bulk cooking oil.