Purbaya Ensures Disaster Assistance Does Not Use Illegal Goods

Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadive emphasized that the government will not distribute confiscated goods in the form of ballpress garment products to disaster victims in Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra.

According to Purbaya, confiscated goods have illegal status so they cannot be distributed back to the public.

He added that if clothing assistance is needed, the government will ensure that the goods provided are new products.

"If I tell you to donate, I buy new goods, I send them to domestic production (Even though the confiscated goods are still new) it's illegal," said Purbaya at the Seal Point Terminal 3 of the Tanjung Priok Port Container, Friday, December 12.

He emphasized that there was no government policy that led to the use of illegal ballpresses for disaster relief. In fact, the issue also did not get approval from President Prabowo Subianto.

"Formally there is no policy in that direction. Even though I have discussed the event from the president, he said not just yet, except for changing, until now there has been no", said Purbaya.

Purbaya added that the more worried it would be if the provision of social assistance through confiscated goods could trigger the re-emergence of illegal ballpresses for social reasons.

"We will maintain what the regulations are like. Don't let it happen later because there are more ballpres coming in, with the reason that it's good for a disaster. It's better if we buy domestic goods from MSME products, sent to a new disaster," he said.

He emphasized that he prefers to allocate a budget to buy new products instead of wearing illegal ballpress clothes.

Previously, the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) succeeded in thwarting the circulation of illegal garment products, and it was possible that confiscated goods from the action of the ballpress would be used as assistance for disaster victims.

Director of Communication and Guidance for Users of Customs and Excise Services Nirwala Dwi Heryanto explained that confiscated goods from the action of the ballpress could in principle be used for humanitarian assistance and so far, confiscated goods are usually destroyed because they are categorized as illegal.

"There is (an option for disaster victims). We will try later depending on where the government wants to direct it," he told the media crew, Thursday, December 11.

He added that the government has full authority to determine the use of confiscated goods after the research and investigation process is complete, whether it will be destroyed later, distributed as disaster assistance, or used according to other needs.

"So if the goods violate, of course, they will become state property. They can be destroyed or for other purposes. Who knows, our brothers and sisters can be used and used for those in need," he explained.

Nirwala menegaskan bahwa ada beberapa opsi pemanfaatan, yaitu dimusnahkan, dihibahkan untuk tujuan tertentu, atau dilelang dan keputusan final terkait arah pemanfaatan barang akan ditentukan oleh Direktorat Jenderal Kekayaan Negara.

"Ada opsinya, ya. Satu, dimusnahkan. Kedua, dihibahkan untuk tujuan tertentu dan yang ketiga, dilelang. Nanti dari teman-teman dari Dirjen Kekayaan Negara yang akan memutuskan. Mau ditujukan ke mana. Kalau ini dianggap merusak industri, ya dimusnahkan," tegasnya.

Nirwala emphasized that there are several utilization options, namely being destroyed, donated for certain purposes, or auctioned off and final decisions regarding the direction of use of goods will be determined by the Directorate General of State Assets.

"There is an option, yes. One, destroyed. Second, donated for certain and third purposes, auctioned off. Later, friends from the Director General of State Assets will decide where to go. If this is considered to damage the industry, it will be destroyed," he said.