Customs urged to cast aside past practices<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Directorate General of Customs and Excise
\nwas urged yesterday to uphold the law and cast aside its past
\ncorrupt practices when it resumes its inspection authority on
\nApril 1.<\/p>\n
Legislator Saleh Khalid from the Moslem-oriented United
\nDevelopment Party faction suggested the government allow a
\ntransition period from the current pre-shipment inspection to the
\non-arrival inspection and post audit system.<\/p>\n
"The transition period should not be too long, however. The
\ncustoms office should take necessary preparations so that when
\nthe new system comes into force it does not create any problems,"
\nSaleh said.<\/p>\n
The current pre-shipment inspection system for imports began
\nin mid-1985, when President Soeharto stripped the customs office
\nof its inspection authority due to its officials' rampant
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Indonesian Footwear Association, Anton J.
\nSupit, said yesterday that the pre-shipment inspection system
\nhad guaranteed businesspeople both smooth flows of imports and a
\nhigh degree of certainty.<\/p>\n
Besides, Anton said, the current pre-shipment inspection
\nsystem should have given the customs office enough time to
\nprepare its personnel to implement a more professional and
\nresponsible inspection service.<\/p>\n
The government, through a finance minister decree, decided to
\nreturn the inspection of imports to the customs office beginning
\nApril 1 when the 1995 customs law takes effect. However, the
\ngovernment has yet to decide whether to retain or end the pre-
\nshipment inspection system.<\/p>\n
Customs Director R.B. Permana Agung said that his office would
\nstart the trial operations of the new customs clearance system
\ntoday.<\/p>\n
The trial operations are to be at the country's four main
\nports; Tanjung Priok in Jakarta, Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, East
\nJava, Belawan in Medan, North Sumatra, and Ujungpandang, South
\nSulawesi.<\/p>\n
Permana said his office would focus the trial operations on
\nTanjung Priok as it handled 70 percent of the country's total
\nimports and exports.<\/p>\n
Permana said the trials would concentrate on documentation
\nrather than physical inspections so they would not affect the
\ncustoms services.<\/p>\n
"Importers should follow the usual service channels, it's only
\nthe documents they use that will be different," Permana said.<\/p>\n
House member Saleh has cautioned the customs office not to
\ntinker with the post-audit system, warning that any failure would
\nhave a detrimental effect on Indonesia's competitiveness.<\/p>\n
"Customs officials must work more efficiently and effectively.
\nThey should also consolidate their office's internal workings,
\nespecially on matters related to organization, work orientation,
\nhuman resources development and infrastructure," Saleh said.<\/p>\n
He also told customs officials not to make use of the new
\ncustoms law and ruling on customs clearance for their own ends.<\/p>\n
"This means that customs officials must uphold the people's
\ntrust given to them through the law," Saleh was quoted by Antara
\nas saying.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Indonesian Importers Association, Amirudin
\nSaud, shared Saleh's suggestion, saying that the fate of the new
\ncustoms clearance system would depend on the customs officials'
\nmentality.<\/p>\n
"If their mentality remains the same, namely remaining
\ncorrupt, they will not ensure the smooth flows of goods because
\nthey will hold the goods up deliberately to extort money from
\nimporters," Amirudin said.<\/p>\n
He noted that the customs law, as well as the finance
\nminister's decree on the customs release system, contained
\nloopholes which could be used by customs officials to extort
\nmoney from importers. (rid)<\/p>",
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