Sea Sand Export; Indonesian Govt Updates Resumption Progress

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Foreign Trade DG of the Ministry of Trade, Budi Santoso, announced the update on the resumption of sea sand export by Indonesia. According to Budi, his side has delivered a letter to the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs to further discuss the resumption plan.

"We have delivered the letter to the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and we will discuss [the plan], we are still looking for the date," he said on Thursday.

As previously reported, the Indonesian government is planning to resume sea sand export after a 20-year ban, following a governmental regulation released by President Joko Widodo last May.

The Ministry of Trade, in regard to its position on export resumption, still awaiting consideration by two relevant ministries; the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Between these ministries, Budi said, differences in perception on which sand is approved for exports still occur. "There are several gaps in perception, for example regarding the content of sea sand and its minerals," he said.

Meanwhile, Budi admitted that he has yet to know which countries expressed their interest in importing sea sand from Indonesia, and which regions in Indonesia have the potential for sea sand export.

"Let's just wait for the consensus," he said.

RIANI SANUSI PUTRI

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