Ministry Denies Illegal Levies in Issuing Garlic Import Recommendations

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Agriculture said there were no illegal levies in issuing recommendations for importing horticultural products (RIPH) for garlic. Prihasto Setyanto, the ministry's director general of horticulture, said they only give a recommendation, not a permit, therefore it is impossible that there were illegal levies in the process of issuing RIPH garlic.

According to Prihasto, if the Ombudsman found illegal levies in the issuance of garlic import recommendations, then they should have reported it to the police.

"If the Ombudsman finds illegal levies, why not file a police report? Why did they make a public report like that? Just go to the police," Prihasto told Tempo on Wednesday, January 17.

Prihasto claims that the process of issuing RIPH for garlic has been carried out in accordance with applicable regulations, namely Ministerial Regulation No.39/2019. He also ensures that every company that receives recommendations has fulfilled the specified requirements.

Prihasto said that the ministry regrets the Ombudsman's move to make a public announcement before allowing the ministry to clarify allegations of illegal levies. That, he said, was something rather unethical.

"The Ombudsman asked the Ministry of Agriculture to provide a statement at 13:30. But they released a statement at 10:00. How does that work? Is that the ethics? They should have clarification first. If it is their initial finding and they think it is important, they should have just gone to the police,"

Member of the Indonesian Ombudsman Yeka Hendra Fatika claimed that he received reports from business actors about illegal levies in the process of issuing recommendations for garlic imports. Yeka claimed that garlic importers had to pay a levy of Rp200 to Rp250 per kilogram out of the RIPH quota that would be issued by the Ministry of Agriculture.

"If the recommended (garlic import quota) is 6,000 kg and the Import Approval Letter (SPI) quota was 1,000 kg, the levy would still be taken from the 6,000 kilograms, according to RIPH, not from the number of imports," Yeka said.

When asked about the details of the alleged perpetrator of illegal levies, Yeka was reluctant to explain further. However, he confirmed that reports of illegal levies did exist. "The (business actors) said that there was. But who they are is a secret," he said.

Yohanes Maharso Joharsoyo

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