REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA --- Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel has warned businessmen in the country against hoarding staple foods, because if they are found doing so, their license will be revoked.

"We are serious about our efforts to safeguard prices and ensure stock stability," he told newsmen here on Saturday.

He made the statement after making an impromptu visit to a number of warehouses in Jakarta, along with a number of officials, where they discovered staple foods being hoarded.

Gobel said under the current circumstances, businessmen must not attempt to hoard basic necessities as the government will take a firm action against them.

The Trade Minister encouraged businessmen to boost profits, but not by way of hoarding because that disrupts price stability.

"The Trade Ministry will keep monitoring warehouses for staple foods and if an act of hoarding is discovered, harsh sanctions will be imposed on the hoarder," he warned.

Gobel said his office is serious and will cooperate with the prosecutor's office and the police in dealing with such persons.

"This visit is a mere shock therapy action to show businessmen how stern and serious we will be," he said.

The Director General of Domestic Trade, Srie Agustina, said that in keeping with the rule, businessmen are not allowed to hoard staple goods and in case prices fluctuate, they will be obliged to distribute their staple goods in the market.

"If they are found hoarding staples, they might be jailed for four to five years and fined up to Rp20 billion, in addition to having their permits revoked," she stated.

Agustina added that businessmen are obliged to report the staple goods reserves they have received and distributed so that their inventory?s latest status is known.

"If they are found manipulating the dates (of receipt and distribution), they will be jailed and fined by up to Rp20 billion and have their permits revoked," she said.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika