TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Iron & Steel Industry Association (IISIA) expressed hope for the Indonesian government to control steel and iron imports that are becoming more rampant. Especially after the Industry Ministry announced its plan to erase the technical consideration (pertek) for owners of producers' importer identification numbers (API-P).

“It’s best if the Ministry of Industry does not drop its policy on technical considerations. Because that is proven effective to control imported steel that has increased along with the global economic change,” said IISIA Chairman Silmy Karim in a written statement on Wednesday, October 30.

He argued that the plan to erase the regulation’s technical considerations on imported industrial capital goods will pose a significant risk, especially for the basic industrial sector of steel production.

According to Silmy, the Trade Minister’s Decree No.110/2018 on imported steel, mixed steel, and steel-related products, mandates importers to obtain a ‘pertek’ from the Industry Ministry. That has been a basis for the issuance of the import agreement letter (SPI) from the Trade Ministry.

The Trade Ministry’s Decree also mandates a verification or technical search in countries or port by surveyors in order to substantiate the imported goods with their import permit. This is deemed important to prevent potential deviations.

ANTARA