TEMPO.CO, Bandung - Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) sent a protest letter to the president and chairman of the European Union (EU) parliament over the refusal of Indonesian palm oil.
“The President has written a special letter to the EU President and the chairman of EU parliament, saying that he is strongly objected and protested to the act of the EU towards the palm oil,” he said in Sumedang, Thursday, March 8.
Pramono said, through a protest letter signed by President Joko Widodo, the Indonesian government considered the EU treatment as a form of protectionism.
Read: Europe's Palm Oil Discrimination Infuriates Foreign Minister
“The Indonesian government considers what the EU is doing is a form of protectionism against Europe's sunflower products and so on because they know the palm oil will be an advantage for our nation,” he said.
President Jokowi has sent the protest letter to the president and the chairman of EU parliament since last week, Pramono said and added that the Indonesian government is also considering the same action.
However, he did not elaborate on the issue. “If they keep doing protection, of course, Indonesia does not want to be treated like this. Today is the era of free trade. All countries must respect one country with another country,” he said.
Pramono viewed the prohibition is a violation of the principle of fair business competition. “Indonesia is actually considered as a country that is obedient to the issue of world climate because Indonesia always participates actively in COP (Conference of Parties, or UN Conference Climate Change), both in Paris, Maracas, and so on,” he said.
Read: Jokowi Calls on EU to Stop Discriminating Palm Oil
The Indonesian government considers the ban is a black campaign for Indonesian palm oil products, he said.
“Today, palm oil (shipments) to Europe is small, compared to East Asia and China, and several other countries. So the commodity certainly will not be disturbed. But it has happened that we call it as ‘black-campaign’ of the palm oil then the president has signed a letter addressed to the EU president and the EU parliament. His letter was sent last week,” he said.
The government is also suspicious that the ban is a protection of European Union countries for their bio-fuel products derived from sunflower seeds, said Pramono as stated in a Foreign Ministry press release received on Tuesday, January 23.
AHMAD FIKRI
