Ministry Of Industry Guarantee Determination Of Salt Import Needs According To Procedures

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) guarantees that the demand for imports of salt is transparent and according to procedures because it has calculated the need for salt as raw materials and auxiliary materials for the industrial sector.

This is calculated based on a letter of application from the industrial association as well as a survey with relevant ministries and institutions.

"This means that the determination of the need for salt imports for industry is transparent and according to procedures, and illustrates the overall needs of the manufacturing industry sector, both those that require salt from imports and from local sources such as the textile industry sector, skinfeating, and others," said Ministry of Industry Spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arif as quoted by Antara, Monday, October 10.

Febri, who is also the Special Staff of the Minister of Industry for Supervision, said that transparency was carried out, including in determining the import quota, whose discussions were carried out across ministries and institutions under the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, as well as coordinating with the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Police and holding limited meetings with vice presidents.

This, for example, is reflected in the recommendations from the Ministry of Industry and Import Approval (PI) issued by the Ministry of Trade of 3.16 million tons in 2018.

"So below the need for 3.7 million tons. Meanwhile, the realization of imports in 2018 was 2.84 million tons," said Febri.

Febri's statement at the same time responded to what had been conveyed by the Head of the Attorney General's Office for Legal Information, Ketut Sumedana, some time ago.

Currently, the AGO is conducting an investigation related to the alleged corruption case in the provision of industrial salt import facilities in 2016-2022.

Febri explained that the use of imported salt was verified by an independent institution during verification for the needs of the following year.

In addition, the company submits reports to the Ministry of Industry every quarter.

"The realization of imports in reality has always been smaller than that of PI which was issued because the industry would not import if it did not require imports. Meanwhile, the PI is a plan from the industry," he explained.

Responding to the statement of former Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti regarding the recommendation for salt imports from the KKP of a maximum of 1.82 million tons, only through three unloading ports, namely Ciwandan, Tanjung Perak and Belawan, and the income period was also limited in the January-April 2018 period.

The Ministry of Industry views that this will have an impact on the sustainability of industries that require salt as raw and auxiliary materials.

This is because several industrial companies need continuous guarantees of supply continuity and large needs that require continuous imports every month, especially the alkaline khlor (CAP) industrial sector.

Some industries already have their own jetty with non-cheap investments. Then, the pharmaceutical industry sector whose needs are spread in small quantities also requires imports by air because of the small volume," he added.