Trade Minister Zulhas Claims Jokowi Agrees That The Minister Of Trade And Imports Will Not Be Revised Again

Minister of Trade Zulhas (photo: dock. VOI)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan claims that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has agreed, will not revise the Regulation of the Minister of Trade (Permendag) Number 8 of 2024 concerning Import Policy and Regulation.

The man who is familiarly called Zulhas said that initially the import rules were contained in the Rider Number 36 of 2023 concerning Import Policy and Regulation. The regulation was changed to Permendag Number 7 of 2024.

Zulhas explained that Permendag Number 7 of 2024 made import licensing requirements in the form of technical or pertek considerations. Over time, a number of obstacles were found in the import licensing process.

As a result, continued Zulhas, container buildup occurred in several main ports. Such as Tanjung Priok Port and Tanjung Perak Port.

"I was in Peru again, at 2 am I received a call from the Deputy Minister (Deputy Minister), the president was angry, then a limited meeting at the Palace. Permendag 7 must be changed tonight because goods in Priok are piled up, cannot come out," said Zulhas in a working meeting with Commission VI DPR, Jakarta, Monday, July 8.

"I signed it from Peru. The technology was removed, so it's the Permendag 8," he continued.

However, continued Zulhas, Permendag Number 8 of 2024 was again protested. The regulation is considered to be the cause of the textile industry in the country going out of business.

He also denied the allegations. Zulhas emphasized that the regulation still contains pertek for textiles and textile products (TPT).

"Permendag 8 removes new Pertek-pertek, while the old ones don't. TPT is not (deleted). So if textiles say we went bankrupt because of Permendag 8, it's not true. Because (pertek) it's not deleted," he explained.

Zulhas said that after returning from a working visit to Peru, a limited meeting was held again. During the meeting, the Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang suggested that it be changed by re-entering the Pertek.

However, continued Zulhas, he rejected the proposal of the Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang. He admitted that he objected that the Permendag should be revised again.

"I came home from there (Peru) another meeting was chaired by the president, the proposal from the Minister of Industry to import again and the Permendag was changed again. I said I objected. If that's the case, make your own regulations, don't keep the Permendag, I'm the bad one, how come I'm the bad one kicking the container? I don't understand that," he said.

It didn't stop there, Zulhas said the government held another meeting. During the meeting, Zulhaskeh did not want to revise the Minister of Trade Regulation Number 8 of 2024.

"Keep meeting again, I survive, I say there is another way. Not necessarily the technology will solve the problem, therefore I gave up hard and the president agreed not to make candy again," he said.

Zulhas said as an alternative solution, the government would impose Anti-Dumping Import Duty (BMAD) and Safeguard Measure Import Duty (BMTP) for seven commodities.

The seven imported commodities are textile, electronic, ceramic, footwear, finished clothing, textile products are finished, and commercial.

The determination of the BMTP, he continued, will be calculated based on the monitoring of the Indonesian trade security committee (KPPI) regarding the large number of imported products that have entered in the last three months. Meanwhile, BMAD will be determined based on the results of the monitoring of the Indonesian anti dumping committee (KADI).

He (KPPI and KADI) will see, investigated in three years how much our data is, if indeed the imports of these seven products soar, then he can charge a tariff. It could be 10, 20, it could be 200 percent. It's up to them, I'm not the one who determines," he said.

"The KPPI output is a duty to enter security measures, there is one more KADI, the output will be BMAD. They will see BPS data, what are the import data calls associations, whether they spike or not, then they will hear later, there will be a decision," he continued.