Lawmakers are calling for stronger powers for Indonesia’s competition regulator as part of planned amendments to the country’s antimonopoly law.
Indonesia’s business competition watchdog, Komisi Pengawas Persaingan Usaha (KPPU), needs stronger institutional and legal authority to safeguard fair and healthy market competition, lawmakers say, as parliament moves to revise Law No. 5/1999 on the prohibition of monopolistic practices and unfair business competition.
Adisatrya Suryo Sulisto, deputy chair of Commission VI at the Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Republik Indonesia, said during a meeting with academics at Universitas Sumatra Utara in Medan that increasingly complex business dynamics require the KPPU to have adequate authority and stronger resources. Without reinforcement, efforts to oversee monopolistic practices and unfair competition would not run optimally, he said.
One major weakness highlighted is the KPPU’s lack of enforcement power over cases that have obtained final and binding legal status.
“Indeed, many have underestimated the KPPU because it does not have execution powers. There is now also a request to support them so they can have that authority. At the very least, sanctioned businesses should be able to pledge their assets as collateral,”
Adisatrya was quoted as saying Sunday (Feb. 8) on the parliament’s official website.
He added that the KPPU not only enforces competition law but also provides policy recommendations to the government to help create a business ecosystem that serves the public interest. Strengthening the agency would directly contribute to protecting small businesses and consumers, he said.
The politician from Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan expressed hope that all stakeholders would offer concrete support to enable the KPPU to perform its duties to the fullest.
“By strengthening the KPPU, the market should become more efficient and competition healthier for the business world. Under such conditions, we expect stronger competition, greater innovation and more creativity,”
he said.
Source: Koran Jakarta
