Unclear Regulations, Assessed Lobster Exports Must Stop

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Regulation of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Permen KP) Number 12 of 2020 concerning Management of Lobster (Panulirus), crab (Scylla) and crab (Portunus) is considered a number of problematic parties. Moreover, the lobster seed exporting company to Vietnam some time ago was suspected of not paying non-tax state revenue (PNBP).

Apart from that, there is a report that states that in the appointment of exporters it is also suspected that there is collusion. The DPR and anti-corruption activists have also asked for lobster exports to be temporarily halted.

DPR Commission IV member Ono Surono asked the KKP to be transparent in exporting lobster. Moreover, the information he got, tax matters are still waiting for the Minister of Finance's regulation.

"Meanwhile, exports are already underway. That means this is not true. So, if it can be closed first. Do not open exports until the rules are clear," said Ono, Tuesday, June 23.

Ono continued that exports must be stopped because the license cannot stand alone. According to him, there are still further regulations with taxes and exports.

If the regulation from the Ministry of Finance has not been issued, of course where the tax revenue will go is not clear. He also suspects that the export that has occurred is illegal.

He also considered the KKP's actions to be too hasty and hasty. According to him, KKP must be careful in granting export permits, because fishermen must be considered and corporations have an obligation to do so.

"They have to have responsibilities, for example, to export, they have to build lobster cultivators. They have to be responsible, not just want to be profitable. If they can do training and mentoring for fishermen.

Legalize Smuggling

Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) Boyamin Saiman said similarly. He considered the policy to legalize fry export was not right.

Moreover, he said, no Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) has yet been received. He said, if the exporter was not subject to duty and PNBP, then it would be legal to legalize smuggling.

"Export duties and PNBP must be subjected, so that no money goes into the country. It's the same as smuggling," he said.

He asked the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries to take a firm stance, especially in supervision. The reason, said Boyamin, was that the KKP had investigators and a patrol department.

"Controlling cannot only rely on the police of the port waters, customs, or airport officials. It must be from the KKP, they are given patrols and others. It must be ensured that those who catch the seeds are immediately taxed, don't have to export just be told to pay taxes , "he said.

Boyamin also assessed that the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries' policy was compared to the earth and sky during the Susi Pudjiastuti era. He also suspected that the fry export player was the same person, it could be seen from the smuggling disclosure when the Minister of KKP was held by Susi Pudjiastuti.

"In the era of fry banned, smugglers, that's all, in several places I got information from police friends, the player is him again, especially now that export is allowed, that's for sure," he said.

According to Boyamin, this fry business is very tempting. This, he said, was proven during the ban, smugglers dared to take it through the flight route.

"Taking a plane is also reckless and big capital, which means big profits, for example by boat from the Riau Islands to Singapore, it may not have a large capital," he said.

CTF Dodge

Meanwhile, during a joint working meeting with Commissioner IV of the DPR, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo confirmed that there had been no violations in the lobster seed export activities so far. Edhy ensured that his party would continue to follow all existing rules.

"There is no violation or overlapping, because all of the handling is at the Director General of Customs and Excise," said Edhy.

Edhy confirmed that this PNBP regulation has not been completed, but is already in the final stage.

"I just found out that it is quite difficult to do this, but there is a way out," said Edhy.

Edhy admitted that he did not insist on exporting lobster seeds. He claims the KKP only wants to save the lives of fishermen who have been depending on lobster seeds. According to him, there will be no selective practice for lobster seed exporters in the future.

Head of the Sub-Directorate General of Public Relations, Customs and Excise of the Ministry of Finance, Deni Surjantoro, said that the export of lobster seeds has been carried out, by PT TAM and PT ASL on June 12, 2020 through Soekarno-Hatta Airport. Based on data from the Soekarno-Hatta Customs and Excise Office, the export of PT TAM and PT ASSR lobster seeds is packaged in 7 boxes. PT TAM exported 60,000 lobster seeds, while PT ASSR about 37,500 individuals.

This export is considered odd. Because the Ministry of Finance is still drafting a Regulation of the Minister of Finance regarding the export of lobster seeds and the mechanism for collecting non-tax state revenue (PNBP). Surprisingly, when the final rules had not been issued, there were already two companies exporting.