JAKARTA. Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan says he has sent a letter protesting against the Business Competition Supervisory Commission’s (KPPU) report that accused him of involvement in garlic cartel practices from January to March this year.

Gita said the accusation was hasty, made without proper consideration and it was also extremely personal. As a minister, he noted that none of the KPPU officials had consulted him prior to the statement, which was issued by a KPPU investigator.

 “I heard about the news [the accusation] last night. We have sent a warning letter to the KPPU this afternoon. I can’t believe one of its investigators dares to speak that way. We are ready to prove that the allegation is wrong,” Gita said in Jakarta on Friday.

Gita also stressed that the accusation was greatly misleading because the price of garlic actually went down during the January-March period, something that would not have happened if there was a cartel.

KPPU investigator Muhammad Nur Rofik had accused Gita of involvement in a garlic cartel by extending permits for 14 importers during the January-March period through Foreign Trade Director General Bachrul Chairi. According to the KPPU, this permit extension harmed other importers.The commission deemed Gita to have violated Law No.5/1999 on monopoly practices. (hrl/The Jakarta Post)

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