The 1999 Anti-Monopoly Law which is expected to end unfair business practices has proved powerless in the face of big business. The Supervisory Comission on Business Competition, set up at the end of 1999 to supervise Indonesian business, is fighting a losing battle.

The first decision taken by the commission on April 20, 2001 against PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia was half-hearted at best. The American oil company was only ordered to cancel a US$1