Don't Complicate National Standards Matter, Jokowi: Is It Time For Bricks To Ask For SNI?

Illustration of workers' activities in the textile and clothing industry. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) assesses that the affairs of Indonesian national standards (SNI) should not be made difficult. Moreover, not all local products can be standardized.

He conveyed this when delivering a briefing and evaluation of the proud affirmation action made in Indonesia which was broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube.

"I have told the Head of LKPP not to complicate things like before, all products must be SNI, all products must be SNI," said Jokowi in his briefing today, Tuesday, May 24.

"The small ones can't. Where can local products be if all of them are requested by SNI," he added.

The former governor of DKI Jakarta said that the current national standard is not mandatory. Except, for items related to safety such as cables or helmets.

"Helmets, for example, must have SNI, that's true. Dangerous things, such as cables, SNI, yes," said Jokowi.

"But if the bricks ask for SNI, when will they be able to enter the e-catalog, it's impossible," he added.

Jokowi said things like this should be a concern. Because, not only bricks, sand is also often asked for SNI.

As a result, domestically produced bricks or sand cannot enter the e-catalog because they are hampered by SNI. In the end, procurement in ministries or institutions as well as local governments actually uses foreign products.

Furthermore, Jokowi mentioned that many of the products included in the e-catalog are imported goods. Thus, this must be considered by parties who are procuring goods and services through e-catalogs.

"Since the first until now, we only have how many products in our e-catalog, 52 thousand products," he said.

"And most of them are imported with aggregator models. Buy there, enter here, buy brands, enter e-catalogs. This should be avoided. Only the casing is local, the interior is imported. Everyone be careful with this," concluded Jokowi.