KL defends tariff policy on steel<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Malaysia's Minister of International Trade and Industry Rafidah
\nAziz on Wednesday defended her government's policy to impose a 50
\npercent import duty on imported steel products from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
She said the import duty was aimed at protecting Malaysia's
\nsteel industry from cheaper imported products.<\/p>\n
\"This is a protection tariff imposed on all imported steel
\nproducts, not only from Indonesia,\" Rafidah said at an investment
\nforum here.<\/p>\n
She is on a two-day visit to the country, leading a trade
\nmission comprising 47 companies to explore further trade
\nopportunities between the two countries.<\/p>\n
Minister of Trade and Industry Rini M. Soewandi was also at
\nthe forum.<\/p>\n
Indonesian steel manufacturers have protested against the
\nimport duty policy.<\/p>\n
Rafidah said its policy to raise import tariffs to 50 percent
\nin April 2002, from the previous 15 percent, was not against the
\nspirit of market liberalization.<\/p>\n
\"It is not against the spirit of the AFTA and the World Trade
\nOrganization (WTO) agreement,\" Rafidah told the Jakarta Post
\nafter the seminar.<\/p>\n
She is referring to the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) agreement
\nunder which the import tariff on almost all products traded in
\nthe region, including steel products, must be under five percent.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, executive director of the association of pipe
\nproducers Heru Sudjatmiko criticized the policy, saying it had
\nseriously hurt Indonesia's steel exports to Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Indonesia increased its import tariffs on imported steel
\nproducts from between 5 percent to 10 percent to between 20
\npercent and 25 percent last October after in response to
\nMalaysia's imposing tariffs first.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kl-defends-tariff-policy-on-steel-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}