Muhaimin Iskandar In Front Of The Fishermen's Association: KKP Established By Gus Dur To Prosper The People From The Sea

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Muhaimin Iskandar reminded that the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) was established by the 4th President of the Republic of Indonesia Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) to prosper, not burden fishermen.

"KKP is a ministry that was established by KH Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur. So it should make people prosperous from the sea, not burdensome," said Muhaimin when receiving an audience with a number of fishermen associations at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Wednesday, November 3.

A number of fishermen associations held an audience with Muhaimin Iskandar who was accompanied by a member of Commission IV DPR RI, Daniel Johan.

The hearing was attended by a number of associations, including the All-Indonesian Fishermen Association, the Samudera Lestari Fisherman Association, the Indonesian Fisheries Workers Union, the Nahdlatul Ulama Fisherman's Union, the Purse Seine Nusantara Fisherman Association, the Tegal City Fishermen Association, and the Aquaculture Association.

Muhaimin said he was ready to fight for the aspirations of fishermen's associations and would ask KKP Minister Wahyu Sakti Trenggono to revoke PP 85 of 2021 concerning Types and Tariffs on Types of Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) because it was considered burdensome for Indonesian fishermen and fisheries entrepreneurs.

He is committed to never stop contributing to a conducive and productive business climate, especially in the marine and fisheries sector.

"My staff in the DPR have recorded and recorded detailed inputs. I think this needs to be followed up, if the minister does not want to revoke it, we will encourage the President to withdraw it," he said, quoted from Antara.

The Belawan Gabion Fisheries Entrepreneurs Association (AP2GB) Solah H Daulay stated that PP 85/2021 which aims to increase non-tax revenues from the fisheries sector, however, burdens fishermen and fishery business actors.

The previous rule for the category of small-scale vessels under 60 GT was subject to a 1 percent tariff. Then PP 75/2015 increased 5x to 5 percent with the category of small vessels 30-60 GT.

“In PP 85/2021 GT, smaller ships are also imposed. Ships with a size of 5-60GT at a rate of 5 percent. We think the PNBP rate of 5 percent for small fishermen is far-fetched, we question who this KKP consults with,” said Solah.

The chairman of the Ocean Bestari Fisheries Entrepreneurs Association (HNPP), Remon, highlighted that the rules regarding fish price benchmarks in different regions and those set by the KKP far exceed the market price.

Remon assessed that the government ratified PP 85 of 2021 suddenly and not in accordance with the spirit of the Fisheries Law. He stated that many of the PP's contents were not in line with fishermen's expectations, and even tended to be burdensome.