Receiving Report Of 1.4 Million Tons Of Detained Horticulture Import Products, The Sidak Ombudsman To Tanjung Priok Port

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ombudsman conducted a surprise inspection (sidak) at the Tanjung Priok Agricultural Quarantine Center and the Tanjung Priok Port Koja Container Terminal. This inspection was carried out following reports of the detention of 1.4 million tons of horticultural imported products.

A member of the Indonesian Ombudsman, Yeka Hendra Fatika said that 1.4 million tons of horticultural imported products were stuck in three ports, namely Tanjung Priok Tanjung Perak and Belawan ports since last week.

"The Ombudsman conducted an inspection to confirm the complainant's complaint. Since last week until now, a total of 400 containers of horticultural imported products have been stuck in three ports," Yeka said on the sidelines of the inspection, quoted Tuesday, September 20.

Horticultural imported products that are stuck include wine, lemon, kelengbleng, oranges to dried chili. Yeka said the product value reached Rp30 billion.

Furthermore, Yeka said the suspension of horticultural imported products was the impact of the disharmony of regulations between these two ministries resulting in losses for importers for the cost of accumulation and electricity.

Yeka emphasized that all the confiscated items were legal. It's just that the documents are incomplete, there is no RIPH. The Ombudsman assesses that this error is not absolute in terms of importers.

"Those who bear losses are of course importer companies. This is due to the weakness of the government in coordinating and inviting regulations. If the formation of regulations looks at the side of public services, this actually does not need to happen," said Yeka.

For this reason, Yeka said the Ombudsman would conduct a procedural test on this RIPH. Both from the legal basis, the preparation process to how the regulatory process is promulgated. Has it fulfilled the socialization stage, for example?

"We will test the rules regarding this RIPH. Dianalysis based on 14 basic components of public services in accordance with Law Number 25 of 2009 concerning Public Services," he said.

Yeka added that actually there is a solution offer that can be done to minimize the losses of the importers, namely by imposing an inspection on the post border. If it is not equipped with RIPH, then the goods must be stored in the warehouse of the business actors.

Business actors can make a statement that they will complete the RIPH document and will not distribute it until RIPH is published. This can save billions of rupiah from the costs incurred due to being stuck at the local port.

For this reason, the Ombudsman hopes that there will be a quick solution from the Minister of Agriculture regarding the impact of Permentan Number 5 of 2022.

"We have carried out a clarification and examination process, hopefully in the near future, we can convey corrective actions to complete this public report and also so that it doesn't happen again in the future," Yeka said.

Meanwhile, the inspection visit was received by the Head of the Tanjung Priok Agricultural Quarantine Center, Hasrul. During the visit, Hasrul explained that the information related to the enactment of the RIPH for horticultural imported products was received on August 12, 2022.

"After receiving a notification from the Ministry of Agriculture, we waited for up to three days, after three days of the notification, we did not receive a recommendation from the Ministry of Agriculture, so that goods that had already entered, we still allowed them to leave (the port) until September 2, 2022," said Hasrul.

Previously, the Ombudsman received reports from six importer companies whose products were detained by the local Agricultural Quarantine Center. Based on the reporting information, the imported product has obtained an Import Approval Letter (SPI) issued by the Ministry of Trade.

However, after arriving at Belawan, Tanjung Perak, and Tanjung Priok Ports, the imported products were detained by the local Agricultural Quarantine Storm due to the absence of a Horticulture Product Import Recommended Document (RIPH) document. This refers to the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture Number 5 of 2022 concerning Monitoring of Recommended Imports of Horticulture Products.