Meet Members Of British Parliament, Puan Hopes There Will Be No Discrimination Against Indonesian Products As The Impact Of Deforestation Policy

Photo via Antara.

JAKARTA - DPR Speaker Puan Maharani paid a visit to England. Meeting with the Chairperson of the British People's Council, Sir Lindsay Harvey Hoyle, Puan expressed her hope that there would be no discrimination against Indonesian products entering the UK, such as palm oil, rubber, and coffee.

"Indonesia supports and hopes for free, fair and non-discriminatory trade by optimizing the agreed bilateral cooperation framework," Puan said during a meeting at the British Parliament, London, quoted from a statement from the Indonesian Embassy in London on Friday, February 3, reported by Antara.

This statement was conveyed by Puan regarding the UK's plan to implement a policy to prevent the use of commodities resulting from deforestation processes or Due Diligence on Forest Risk Commodities.

On that occasion, Puan also invited the British Parliament to work together to realize collaboration for equal partnerships, realizing shared commitments to democratic values ​​and protection of human rights as well as economic cooperation and sustainable development.

"Together, Indonesia and the UK can contribute to the global commitment to reducing emissions through cooperation in the clean energy sector," she said.

In addition, Puan invited the British Parliament to continue to enhance inter-parliamentary cooperation which can contribute to helping solve various problems in the world.

Affirming the position of parliament as the people's representative, Puan also encouraged the development of relations between the people of the two countries.

"I encourage more British tourists to visit Indonesia, and easier visa procedures for Indonesian citizens to visit the UK," she said.

"In addition, I emphasized the importance of cooperation in the field of education, especially in innovation, student and teacher exchanges, as well as joint research in sectors that are of interest to both countries," she continued.

Puan's statement was welcomed by Sir Hoyle, who said that Indonesia has ecotourism advantages including in areas outside Bali that can be promoted to attract tourists from England.

Puan's visit was carried out to fulfill Sir Lindsay Hoyle's invitation, which was conveyed when the Chair of the British People's Council attended the P20 (G20 Parliamentary Speaker's Summit) summit in Jakarta in October 2022.