TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Ministry’s Director General of Customs and Excise Heru Pambudi stated that the ministry is in the process of discussing the customs and excise for plastic bags with House of Representatives Commission IX by years end.

“It will affect plastic bags,” said Heru at an event in Jakarta International Expo on Wednesday, October 11.

Placing fees on plastic bags was originally set to be one of the country’s sources of income in 2017. Such plan had to be delayed for a period of time because of the tight schedule of House’ Commission IX.

“We have barely concluded our accountability meeting on the 2016 state budget, right after this we will be holding a meeting on the 2018 draft state budget,” said Heru.

Other than constituting plastic bags as a source of income, placing fees on plastic bags is also hoped to reduce the amount of plastic usage in general.

Previously on March 2017, plastic customs and excise were proposed to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani. It was considered to be a form of consumption disincentive, which takes the example of European nations that have already imposed such regulation.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH