Polemic on Import of Used Trains Continues as Industry Ministry Voices Rejection
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April 28, 2023 | 07:55 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The polemic on the import of used electric trains or KRL continues. Although the Finance and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) does not recommend importing secondhand trains, the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Ministry still hoped that it the import can be carried through. Meanwhile, the Industry Ministry rejected the idea.
Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Kartika Wirjoatmodjo raised the issue of emergency import after a joint meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission VI on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. Kartika argued that the import is needed given a buildup of Commuter Line passengers during peak hours.
Responding to this, the spokesperson for the Industry Ministry Febri Hendri Antoni Arif said that his ministry refused to import used trains. “The Minister has discussed it. We don't know the term of emergency import,” Febri said at the Industry Ministry’s building in South Jakarta on Friday, April 28, 2023.
Febri emphasized that the Industry Ministry followed an earlier agreement with the Coordinating Minister for Investment that the BPKP’s audit would be a reference regarding the import of used trains.
“We are following BPKP's recommendations,” Febri said. “So, if someone makes up the term of emergency import, ask him [Kartika Wirjoatmodjo].”
According to Febri, there has been no further discussion between the SOE Ministry and the Industry Ministry regarding the import of used trains. Febri added that there has been no meeting invitation from the Coordinating Ministry for Investment.
Previously, Kartika Wirjoatmodjo said that he would meet the BPKP chairperson regarding the plan to import used trains from Japan and submit an emergency import proposal. Kartika underlined that the government needs to import 10 to 12 used trains to meet 2023 needs.
AMELIA RAHIMA SARI
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