Customs office plans paperless services<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Directorate General of Customs and Excise
\nplans to launch paperless customs services by early 1998, using
\nan electronic data interchange (EDI) system, an official said.<\/p>\n
\"When the EDI system is operational, importers and exporters
\nwill not need to submit documents to our office. What they'll
\nneed to do is simply transmit their documents electronically to
\nour office,\" Eddy Abdurrachman, head of the customs data and
\ninformation center at the directorate general, told The Jakarta
\nPost over the weekend.<\/p>\n
The system, Eddy said, was designed to reduce personal contact
\nbetween customs officials and businessmen and consequently lessen
\nred tape and minimize the possibility of collusion between
\nofficials and businessmen.<\/p>\n
Eddy explained that the EDI system would electronically
\nconnect the customs office to all related parties involved in
\ncustoms matters.<\/p>\n
They include importers, exporters, port and airport
\nauthorities, shipping companies, airlines, freight forwarders,
\nbanks and related government departments.<\/p>\n
Eddy, however, declined to give the figures on the total cost
\nof the EDI system.<\/p>\n
He added, though, that part of the investments would be
\nrecouped through the fees paid by the users of the system.<\/p>\n
\"All players currently have their own computer networks. What
\nthey need to do is buy EDI transmitters to connect their networks
\nwith the EDI system,\" Eddy said.<\/p>\n
He added that the customs office had cooperated with the EDI
\nprovider, state-owned PT EDI Indonesia, which will help install
\nthe EDI system for customs services.<\/p>\n
Eddy said his office would soon conduct a simulation of the
\nsystem operations together with port and airport managements,
\nfreight forwarders, shipping companies and banks.<\/p>\n
\"The system must incorporate all related parties, otherwise
\nthe customs office as the core of the system will not be able to
\nprovide full paperless customs services,\" Eddy said.<\/p>\n
For the first stage, Eddy said, the planned EDI system will be
\ninstalled at a number of large ports in the country, including
\nTanjung Perak in Surabaya, Tanjung Mas in Semarang and Belawan in
\nMedan, North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
The EDI system has actually been used by Jakarta's Tanjung
\nPriok port management together with shipping companies using its
\nservices.<\/p>\n
Eddy said that a number of shipping companies had expressed an
\ninterest in connecting their EDI system with the customs office.<\/p>\n
He noted that the planned EDI system would also be connected
\nto the international EDI network, called the EDI for
\nAdministration, Commerce and Transportation.<\/p>\n
\"The EDI system will be very important for us to facilitate a
\nsmoother flow of goods, especially when the free trade in the
\nASEAN region starts in the year 2003,\" Eddy said. (rid)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/customs-office-plans-paperless-services-1447893297",
"image": ""
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