Economists call for better customs services<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Economist Anwar Nasution has suggested the
\nDirectorate General of Customs and Excise win people's trust by
\nproviding better services than state-owned PT Surveyor Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Anwar, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia, said the
\nbusiness sector was still traumatized by the past corrupt
\npractices of customs services.<\/p>\n
"Businesspeople or those using customs services should now
\ngive the customs office a chance to prove it can provide better
\nservices," said Anwar as quoted by Antara last week.<\/p>\n
Sharing Anwar's opinion, economist I Nyoman Moena said the
\ncustoms office should well prepare its personnel to resume on-
\narrival inspections of imports starting April 1.<\/p>\n
However, he questioned the readiness of the customs office to
\nsimultaneously enforce the on-arrival inspections of imports in
\nover 125 ports across the country.<\/p>\n
Technically, the customs office has the capacity to enforce
\nthe customs law by April 1, as mandated by the government.
\nHowever, it needs time to reform the mental attitude of its
\npersonnel to resume such a big task.<\/p>\n
The government stripped the customs office of its inspection
\nauthority in mid-1985 due to corrupt personnel. It assigned
\nGeneva-based Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS) to inspect
\nimports at points of loading.<\/p>\n
In 1991, the government appointed PT Surveyor Indonesia to
\ntake over inspections from SGS. Since then SGS has been acting as
\nsubcontractor to Surveyor Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Anwar said the government assigned SGS and later Surveyor
\nIndonesia because it wanted to eliminate corruption at customs
\nservices and to all-out boost Indonesia's non-oil exports. And it
\nbore fruit.<\/p>\n
With such a move, Anwar said, the government had successfully
\nreduced corruption at the customs office and also collusion
\nbetween importers and customs officials.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the government also successfully improved
\nIndonesia's non-oil exports, most of which were dependent on
\nimported inputs. Non-oil exports grew from US$6.1 billion in the
\n1985\/1986 fiscal year to $31.7 billion in 1994\/1995 fiscal year.<\/p>\n
In addition, the government's revenue from import duty
\nincreased dramatically from merely $1.6 billion in 1986 to $5.9
\nbillion in 1994.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Anwar argued that the use of foreign firms'
\nservices, like that of SGS, should not be viewed as a less
\nnationalistic way of doing business because it had contributed
\nsignificantly to the country's economy.<\/p>\n
He suggested the customs office learned from the way Surveyor
\nIndonesia and SGS provided services. Thus, the customs office
\nwould be able to convince market forces that it could provide
\neven better services.<\/p>\n
The customs office should also cast aside its past corrupt
\nhabits in order to enforce the customs law efficiently, Anwar
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A number of parties, especially importers, have voiced doubt
\nabout the quality of customs services after April 1, considering
\nthe government does not pay customs officials high salaries.<\/p>\n
Anwar, however, suggested that people give the customs office
\na change to prove it can provide good services, even though the
\nsalaries of personnel remained the same.<\/p>\n
He also welcomed the customs office's plan to incorporate
\nelectronic data interchange (EDI) in its customs clearance
\nsystem.<\/p>\n
The EDI would help the customs office provide fast document
\nprocessing services to importers and also help reduce physical
\ncontact between importers and customs officials, thus reducing
\npossible collusion and bribery.<\/p>\n
However, Anwar said, the implementation of EDI should not
\nburden small importers and freight forwarders. It should take
\ninto account their financial constraints. (rid)<\/p>",
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