Meeting The Indonesian Ombudsman, The Ministry Of Trade Ensures To Fix The Garlic Import Permit

Member of the Indonesian Ombudsman Yeka Hendra Fatika (left). (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) represented by the Director General of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Trade Budi Santoso held a meeting with the Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia (RI).

The meeting was a follow-up to allegations of maladministration of the issuance of a garlic Import Approval Letter (SPI) by the Ministry of Trade.

RI Ombudsman member Yeka Hendra Fatika admitted that after meeting with the Director General of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Trade Budi Santoso, the Ministry of Trade is currently processing the recommended corrective actions.

"The Director General has stated that all corrective actions requested by the Ombudsman will be carried out. In fact, starting next week there will be significant results. So, the hope is that in the next 30 days all of the corrective actions will be carried out," Yeka said in a written statement received by VOI, Tuesday, October 31.

The three corrective actions include the Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia asking the Ministry of Trade to sort the application data as stated in the issuance of SPI whose documents have been declared complete (first in first served), drafting a Director General Regulation regarding the revocation of the Regulation of the Director General Number 31 of 2023 concerning Technical Guidelines for the Implementation of Policy and Regulation of Garlic Imports, and compiling a Ministerial Decree regarding the Inatrade System Implementation.

On the same occasion, the Director General of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Trade, Budi Santoso, said that his party would immediately carry out the three corrective actions recommended by the Ombudsman.

"The three corrective actions submitted by the Ombudsman are planned to be finalized this week. Hopefully, everything will be completed by next week at the latest. It needs a process," he said.

Previously reported, the Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) found allegations of maladministration by the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) related to the issuance of the Garlic Import Permit (SPI).

This finding stems from reports from the public who complained to the Indonesian Ombudsman in February 2023.

"The allegation of maladministration is because the Directorate General of Foreign Trade does not carry out its duties in accordance with the provisions of the Minister of Trade Regulation Number 25 of 2022 concerning Amendments to the Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number 20 of 2021 concerning Policy and Regulation of Imports," said Member of the Indonesian Ombudsman Yeka Hendra Fatika in Jakarta, quoted Wednesday, October 18.

Yeka said that at least 5 maladministrations were carried out by the Ministry of Trade regarding the issuance of SPI for these commodities.

First, the waiver of legal obligations and protracted delays by the Director General of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Trade.

On the basis of not running positive fictitious 5 (five) days of SPI Bawang Putih after the document was declared complete, as stipulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number 20 of 2021.

Second, there are allegations that it exceeds the authority. In the event of the suspension of the issuance of SPI Bawang with the basis of the use of justification of actions in the implementation of SPI Bawang outside the scope of the field or material of authority given to him in accordance with Law 7/2014 in conjunction with PP 29/2021 in conjunction with Permendag 25/2022 in conjunction with Permendag 20/2021.

"The third finding is that there is a protracted delay in the issuance of SPI Bawang Putih for reporters who greatly exceed the service period of five (5) working days after the document is declared complete according to the requirements," said Yeka.

Fourth, it was found that procedural irregularities were found in the issuance of SPI Bawang Putih by increasing the stages of the procedure in the form of the need for consideration of the Minister of Trade (Mendag) first as the basis for approval of a request.

"Finally, it was found that there was discrimination in the issuance of SPI Bawang Putih with a different treatment of issuance of SPI Bawang Putih and not in accordance with the order of application which was declared complete first (First in, First Served) for the issuance of the SPI Bawang Putih," he said.