Minister Of Trade: Import Control Protect Domestic Trade

Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan while visiting traders at Johar Market, Semarang, Central Java, Saturday (7/10/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Kemendag)

JAKARTA - Trade Minister (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan said import control was needed to protect domestic trade.

This was conveyed by the Minister of Trade when visiting Johar Market, Semarang, Central Java, Saturday, October 7. This effort was taken through the plan to restore supervision outside the customs area to supervisors in the customs area.

"We will return the supervision of imports, from post-border to border back. So, imports are monitored more strictly," said the Trade Minister, quoted by ANTARA.

The Trade Minister said the government had regulated trade through an electronic system (PMSE). This is realized by issuing Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number 31 of the Year concerning Business Licensing, Advertising, Guidance, and Supervision of Business Actors in Trade Through Electronic Systems.

"Online trading is also regulated, not impossible. For example, food must have a halal certificate, if drugs and cosmetics must have a permit from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), electronics must have a full-sale guarantee, and so on. So, it is arranged so as not to turn off physical stores," he said.

The Trade Minister encourages micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to enter the digital ecosystem. He said the competition is currently getting fiercer and MSME players must also increase their capacity in order to compete.

For this reason, the Ministry of Trade has made various trainings for MSMEs to enter the digital ecosystem.

The Trade Minister emphasized the government's alignment in protecting domestic business actors, especially MSME players. This alignment is shown by controlling and supervising imports and structuring online trade.