Issuance Of Permendag 8/2024 Regarding Restrictions On Imported Goods To Ensure Economic Activities Run Well

Deputy Minister of Trade Jerry Sambuaga in an interview session held at the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, Saturday (18/5/2024). (DOC. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The issuance of the Minister of Trade Regulation (Permendag) Number 8 of 2024 which revised the Minister of Trade Regulation 36/2023 concerning the prohibition of restrictions on imported goods is an effort to ensure that economic activities run smoothly. This was revealed by Deputy Minister of Trade Jerry Sambuaga.

"Kita ingin memastikan semuanya berjalan dengan baik dan juga di lapangan tetap baik. Jangan sampai ini peraturan tidak kuncron dengan di lapangan," ujar Jerry dalam sesi wawancara di Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) Tanjung Priok, Jakarta Utara, dikutip dari ANTARA, Sabtu, 18 Mei.

He hopes that the relaxation of the policy prohibiting the restriction of imported goods will be final and there will be no further revisions.

"God willing, hopefully this will be completed," he said.

Before Permendag 36/2023 was issued, he admitted that the Ministry of Trade had established communication across ministries/agencies to obtain meaningful input from various parties.

According to him, Permendag 36/2023 is his party's desire to protect domestic MSME products so that they are no less competitive with imported products. However, over time, a balance is needed so that manufacturing business actors who need raw materials from outside can still carry out business activities.

Through the Regulation of the Minister of Trade (Permendag) Number 8 of 2024 which revised Permendag 36/2023 concerning the prohibition of restrictions on imported goods, he believes that the balance between industrial raw materials and efforts to protect domestic MSMEs is increasingly balanced.

"But we also have to have a balance, if there are no items from outside, there is no raw material made at the factory either. So we have to have a balance between industrial materials, MSMEs, and everything. So this reaches this equilibrium, which we make sure is comprehensive in Permendag," he explained.

Since Permendag 36/2024 was implemented on March 10, container buildup has occurred in several main ports, such as Tanjung Priok, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Emas, and others, due to the not yet issuance of Import Approval (PI) and Pertek for a number of commodities, such as steel, textiles, textile products, chemical products, electronic products, and other commodities.

The number of containers detained reached 17,304 containers at Tanjung Priok Port and 9,111 containers at Tanjung Perak Port.

Through the regulation of Permendag Number 8 of 2024, Jerry believes that business actors are given convenience so that a number of commodities needed by business actors are no longer stuck at a number of points.

"Sometimes it has to require adjustments. So that it is more practical, simple, faster, and of course more able to ensure that business actors are not complicated, so that the permits can be obtained quickly. Do not let there be items stuck here," he concluded.