Ketum Aprindo: Permendag 8/2024 Makes It Difficult For Imports Of Raw Materials

Chairman of the Indonesian Retail Entrepreneurs Association (Aprindo) Roy Nicholas Mandey. (Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - Regulation of the Minister of Trade (Permendag) Number 8 of 2024 which revised Permendag 36/2023 concerning the Prohibition of Restrictions (Lartas) for Imported Goods has officially taken effect.

Related to this, Chairman of the Indonesian Retail Entrepreneurs Association (Aprindo) Roy Nicholas Mandey assessed that the government wanted to complicate the import of raw materials and production assistants.

Roy gave an example of one of the raw food ingredients that cannot be produced independently in the country, namely tempeh. According to him, Indonesia must import soybeans which are the raw materials for the tempeh.

"The steel we use must be imported, salt which is said to be more marine than the island. The condition is that there is a prohibition or regulation that is disrupting raw materials and auxiliary materials must also have an impact on the price of the goods themselves. In the end, to purchasing power and consumption," said Roy when met at his office, Monday, June 3.

He considered that the import policy regulations which are regulated in Permendag 8/2024 have indeed returned to the previous regulations. This is different from Permendag 7/2024 and Permendag 36/2024.

But on the other hand, Roy said, the impact of Permendag 7/2024 regarding imports has not been completed.

"What does that mean? It was hampered by imported goods up to tens of thousands who could not get out of the port, even though it was raw materials and auxiliary materials. If the raw materials and assistants were stuck, the production process would decrease and prices would automatically rise," he said.

Roy hopes that this Permendag 8/2024 will regulate things that are not regulated in existing regulations.

One example is the deposit service (jastip).

"So, this Permendag 8 we hope, yes, what needs to be regulated is often not regulated, but what doesn't need to be regulated is even regulated. Well, what needs to be regulated and not regulated. The Permendag should talk a lot, carry people's orders and then don't pay taxes," he said.

"In fact, those who take care of auxiliary raw materials that want to enter the port must (get) technical approval (Pertek) from the Ministry of Industry first," he added.

Previously, the Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan opened his voice about complaints from industry associations regarding the regulations for easing imports contained in the Permendag 8/2024.

He considered that the complaint was too late to be submitted at this time.

The Minister of Trade Regulation 8/2024 is the third amendment to Permendag 36/2023 regarding import policies and regulations.

Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is familiarly called, emphasized that the regulation would no longer be revised because it was final.

"Not (it will be revised again). It's too late to complain now, it wasn't yesterday," he told reporters in Jakarta, Tuesday, May 28.

Zulhas also admitted that he was surprised that there were still associations and business actors who complained about the revision of Permendag 36/2023.

He said the regulation was issued to control domestic import activities.

"Yes, it's difficult for me. We are enthusiastic, right, at that time so that imports are controlled. The government (dos) flat," he said.