•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   

Recent explosions involving state-subsidized liquefied petroleum gas stoves and canisters may have been caused by counterfeit components, according to the Jakarta Police.

“There is a possibility that the explosions were caused by fake components,” the head of the Jakarta Police’s industry and trade department, Adj. Sr. Comr. Eko Saputra, said on Tuesday.

Several gas cylinder suppliers are distributing products that have not passed national standards, he said.

“This includes valves, regulators and much more,” Eko said.

In a few cases the explosions did not occur when the victims lit their stoves, he said.

“Some of the explosions were allegedly due to leaking gas either from the regulator or caused by the absence of a safety rubber [ring],” Eko said.

As part of their investigation into the explosions, the police will request a list of PT Pertamina’s gas supply agents because the state oil and gas company knows whether a supplier is certified or not, he said.

“That is why we’re asking for permission from Pertamina to look for agents that are not officially certified,” Eko said.

If uncertified agents are allowed to continue operating, similar accidents are likely to recur, he said. “In the future, we are going to take firm action against those firms.”

Pertamina spokesman Basuki Trikora Putra welcomed the investigation, saying that it was “a good start.”

However Daryatmo, from the Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI), said he doubted the police would seriously investigate the explosions.

“The incidents have led to a loss of lives and material damage. According to the Law on Consumer Protection, a company can be brought to court for negligence,” Daryatmo said, adding that a case should be brought against Pertamina.

“Even if it’s true that fake components were the cause of the incidents, the government should start a market investigation to trace the producers before more lives are lost,” he said.

Pertamina may deny responsibility, Daryatmo said, but it should be forced to deny it in court.

Bambang Setiadi, chairman of the National Standardization Agency (BSN), said there were existing standards for the valves, regulators, rubber hoses, gas stoves and canisters.

“The benchmarks for the national standards are adopted from international standards, and the safety of the products has been tested by the agency to avoid, or at least to minimize, unwanted incidents,” he said.

Makmun, a gas cylinder distributor in Central Jakarta, said he always checked cylinders he received from agents for leaks.

“Often customers are only concerned about the look of the canister, whether it’s rusty or not, rather than whether it’s leaking or not,” he said.