Letter To Jokowi On Cooking Oil Distribution, Market Traders Association: Lots Of Oil Stock, But People Choose Modern Retail

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The All-Indonesian Market Traders Association (APPSI) feels that they have not received fair treatment regarding the distribution of government program cooking oil. Therefore, APPSI also sent an open letter to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

Through the letter, APPSI asked Jokowi to issue instructions on a fair and equitable distribution of cooking oil proportionally between modern retail and traditional or people's markets.

Chairman of the Central Executive Board of APPSI, Sudaryono, admitted that his party basically appreciated the Jokowi government for determining the Highest Retail Price (HET) for cooking oil.

The Ministry of Trade has set the highest retail price (HET) for cooking oil, namely the price of bulk cooking oil at IDR 11,500 per liter, the price of simple packaged cooking oil at IDR 13,500 per liter, and the price of premium packaged cooking oil at IDR 14,000 per liter.

Furthermore, Sudaryono said the move was a tangible manifestation of the government's concern for the condition of the small people who were stricken by economic difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the soaring prices of some necessities.

However, Sudaryono criticizes that the distribution of goods and the policy rules are uneven. He also mentioned the priority distribution for modern retail.

"We deeply regret that the implementation of this policy is not fair and equitable. The injustice started with a policy on cooking oil which is only for sale at modern retailers, while in the people's market the policy is not clear", he said in a written statement received by VOI, Thursday, March 10.

Therefore, according to Sudaryono, the government ignores the principle of justice. This is detrimental to traditional market traders. He also considered that the applicable HET was only for cooking oil packaging in modern retail.

Furthermore, Sudaryono considered that because of this policy, consumers of cooking oil had finally shifted to modern stores.

"Many people's market customers end up shopping at modern retailers, this, of course, benefits modern retailers and harms people's market traders", he said.

Meanwhile, said Sudaryono, the stock of cooking oil in traditional markets is large because the selling price is still high, ranging from IDR 19,000 to IDR 21,000 per liter.

"When the policy (HET) was implemented, there was still a lot of stock of cooking oil for market traders and it could not be sold", he explained.

Therefore, Sudaryono said APPSI hopes that Jokowi will be more concerned about the fate of the small people who are currently struggling in very difficult situations and conditions. Especially the people's market players or traditional markets.

"APPSI requests the President to issue instructions on a fair and equitable distribution proportionally between modern retail and people's markets, to create a conducive market atmosphere", he said.