Entrepreneurs Complain About Steel Imports And The Prohibition Of Rattan Exports, Purbaya Will Follow Up Complaints

Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadive (Photo: Doc. VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadivewa stated that he would follow up on various complaints from business actors submitted through the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin).

He asked the Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Anindya Bakrie, to come to his office with representatives of associations to have a more in-depth dialogue.

"Mr. Chairman promised to come to me with sectors per sector. So starting next week it can be sector by sector to me," he said during the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rapimnas, quoted Tuesday, December 2.

One of the complaints was conveyed by the Chairman of the South Kalimantan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Shinta Laksmi Dewi, who revealed that there were obstacles in exporting raw rattan.

According to Shinta, the ban on raw rattan exports has been in effect since the era of President Jokowi's administration and has become a problem for farmers and rattan associations.

The raw rattan has been banned since Pak Jokowi's administration, if I'm not mistaken. This has received complaints from associations as well as from rattan farmers," he said.

Responding to this, Purbaya confirmed that he would review the regulations of the Ministry of Trade regarding the prohibition of exports of rattan, including the reasons for the policy being implemented.

"If not, we will try to give it to the Ministry of Trade. What is good for South Kalimantan if it can be needed," he said.

In addition, the Chairman of the Indonesia Society of Steel Construction (ISSC), Budi Harta Winata, also complained about the entry of imported steel into Indonesia.

He admitted that he had voiced the issue through a peaceful demonstration in front of the office of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC). "We support Customs and Excise to catch, stop importing these steel, sir," he said.

According to him, the total imports of steel this year reached 1 million tons, the amount considered to be disturbing the domestic industry.

He also revealed that his company was forced to drastically reduce its workforce, due to heavy imported steel.

Responding to this, Purbaya also asked the ISSC association to explain conditions in the field, especially regarding problems at the port and the rise of steel imports.

He considered that internal reports often did not describe the actual situation.

"Because if I ask my subordinates, it's good to keep going. If I ask Customs and Excise there are illegal imports, nothing, sir," he said.

Purbaya emphasized that he was making massive improvements to Customs for the next year and if improvements did not show results, he even considered replacing them with Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS), a Swiss surveillance company.