Minister Of Industry Agus Gumiwang: Bonded Areas To PLB Become Entrances For Illegal Imported Goods

Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Industry)

JAKARTA - Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita has indicated that the tied area (KB) to a tied logistics center (PLB) is the entry point for illegal imported goods to Indonesia.

"One example of a tied area, not to mention if I raise the issue of PLB. This is a big problem, this is an entry point for illegal goods to Indonesia," he said while giving directions in the Appointment of Industrial Standard Supervisory Officers (PPSI) and PPNS Briefing in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Monday, October 16.

This was conveyed by Agus Gumiwang who had started conducting inspections on a number of PLBs since three months ago led by the Directorate General of Resilience, Region and International Industrial Access (KPAII). "I can expressly convey it, in accordance with what we predict. We find it in the field, PLB-PLB, inappropriate practices, which in turn will definitely directly injure our domestic industry," he said. As for the bounded area, the Minister of Industry acknowledged the difficulties in collecting industrial and product data in the area. According to him, because it is not under his authority, his party does not have detailed data about the bounded area.

In fact, the existence of a tied area is considered to be one of the entry points for imported products that should be oriented to the export market, but instead flooded the domestic market. He even had to send a team to the field to carry out identification. From studies in the field, it was recorded that there were at least 1,400 small to large-scale entangling areas throughout Indonesia. "This is a problem. If we are not open to each other, hiding data, we as domestic industry coaches cannot carry out our duties properly and maximally. Therefore, transparency is needed regarding the data. That is important for us, especially in carrying out tasks for tightening imports," he said. The Minister of Industry said that controlling imports in Indonesia did face many challenges ranging from the number of imported products entering without inspection of SNI in the customs area (border), weak supervision including in bounded areas, weak import trade procedures because it is not based on industrial data to rampant illegal imports. The Minister of Industry also mentioned the involvement of mafias in efforts to control illegal imports.

"Masalah pengendalian impor memang kompleks. Lebih kompleks lagi kalau dalam pelaksanaan di lapangan kita berhadapan dengan kekuatan yang kuat. Kelompok-kelompok yang kuat, atau mafia," katanya.Oleh karena itu, Agus menekankan perlunya sinergi dan kolaborasi yang baik antara semua pemangku kepentingan yang terkait. Ia menyebut kolaborasi dalam pengetatan impor itu diperlukan agar industri dalam negeri tidak terdampak, sehingga tidak ada pemutusan hubungan kerja (PHK) di industri manufaktur.Sebagai sektor yang jadi kontributor terbesar bagi PDB nasional, manufaktur perlu terus didorong oleh kolaborasi yang erat.

"So cooperation is needed, good collaboration. Collaboration without lying by all ministries/agencies, stakeholders involved," he said.