Social Minister: Consumers Need Education on Safe and Healthy Food

Jakarta, InfoPublik - Indonesian Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa said providing education for consumers to understand their rights is a common task, including the Moslem organization Muslimat Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).

According to Muslimat NU, providing education is important so that it prepared motivators and taught them technical guidance regarding consumer protection.

"(the motivators) Provide explanation regarding consumer protection. NU has 9,800 kindergartens, we have to be sure that the children snacks and food coloring are safe for consumption," said Minister Khofifah on the National Consumer Day in Lapangan Banteng, Jakarta, Tuesday (4/26).

Moslem organization Muslimat Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has more than 59,000 majelis taklim (study center), so that the motivators are expected to be able increase consumers’ education in choosing products that are safe, healthy and halal.

"Children must consume food products that are safe, healthy and nutritious, as well as halal. Sometimes the food is halal, but they contain dangerous food coloring, thus unsafe for consumption," she said.

Therefore, Khofifah considered it is important to have spokesmen who are ready at anytime and anywhere to campaign the importance of consumer protection in order to avoid hazardous substances.

"Muslimat NU has 6,400 Early Childhood Education program (PAUD) with students who are certainly consuming food other than those brought from home. We have to ensure that they know which foods do not contain formaldehyde and borax," she said.

Access to information that can be easily gained or downloaded regarding the choise of safe, healthy and halal food is also needed. 

Currently, only 4.9 percent of consumers in Indonesia understand which food is safe and healty, far behind Korean consumers that have reached 61 percent.

"Cconsumer education is important, comsumers should be iwell informed on where to complain when they find food and products that are not safe, and know how to follow up," she said. (Translator: Penni Patmawati Rusman)