Indonesia’s competition watchdog plans to push through amendments to the country’s antimonopoly law this year to better regulate digital markets.
The newly appointed head of Indonesia’s Competition Commission (KPPU), Gopprera Panggabean, has made reforming the country’s antitrust framework a top priority, saying the 1999 Law on the Prohibition of Monopolistic Practices and Unfair Business Competition needs to be updated to reflect the rise of the digital economy.
Speaking in Jakarta on July 15, Panggabean said the KPPU aims to complete the adoption of the amendments this year. He noted that the existing law was designed for traditional business models and does not fully address the challenges of online markets.
The current legislation mainly focuses on regulating the buying and selling prices of goods and services, while digital markets operate under different dynamics, he said. Many companies in the digital sector, for example, attract users by offering free products or services while making significant investments, practices that regulators say may create risks of unfair competition.
Panggabean said digital economy regulation has become a concern for many countries worldwide. He stressed that the new rules should be introduced as soon as possible to allow the KPPU to carry out its duties more effectively.
The regulator expects the amendments to strengthen its ability to oversee digital companies and address potential market abuses.
Gopprera Panggabean was appointed Chairperson of KPPU for the leadership term from July 2026 to January 2029. Prior to his appointment, he served as an investigator and held several strategic positions within KPPU, including Director of Investigation. Hilman Pujana was elected Vice Chairperson of KPPU for the same term.
Source: Antara
