Jakarta, Aug. 15 -- President Prabowo Subianto has warned that any individual causing shortages of staple goods and other essential items may face up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rp50 billion.

"The government under my leadership will not hesitate. We will always be firm against those who make people's lives difficult, those who seek profits at the expense of the suffering of the underprivileged," he emphasized at the parliamentary complex here on Friday.

He explained that the government will consistently exercise all of its authority based on the 1945 Constitution and Law No. 7 of 2014 on Trade, especially Article 107 in conjunction with Article 29 paragraph 1.

The President then read out Article 29 paragraph (1) o...