Trade Minister Zulhas Says Proposed Transfer Of Import Ports Needs To Be Discussed At The Meeting

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan revealed that the proposal to transfer ports to import goods needs to be discussed and decided with the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in a limited meeting or Ratas.

"Of course, in time, things like that must be (in) Ratas," said Zulkifli Hasan in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Thursday, September 5.

He said that the relevant ministers such as the Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki and the Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita had almost agreed in a meeting regarding the proposed transfer of ports to import goods so as not to accumulate at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta and Tanjung Perak Port, Surabaya.

"If it is indeed difficult to control it because of overcapacity, then Semarang, Central Java, later maybe in Belawan, North Sumatra or in Batam, Riau Islands, then there are more in Bitung, North Sulawesi, and there are also Makassar, South Sulawesi, and Sorong, Southwest Papua," he said.

It is known that Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan proposed moving the entry route for imported goods outside Java to hinder the circulation of seven imported commodities, which flooded Indonesia.

Zulkifli said that currently most imported goods enter through ports on the island of Java.

With the transfer of ports outside Java, logistics costs will be higher and affect the selling price of these imported goods to consumers.

Zulkifli said that the proposal to transfer ports to import goods had been submitted to the Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita. Both of them have agreed to discuss this issue in a limited meeting (ratas).

Meanwhile, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said the transfer of import entry routes (entry points) of seven commodities to eastern Indonesia could directly strengthen the competitiveness of the domestic industry.