Customs promises a faster flow of imports
Customs promises a faster flow of imports
JAKARTA (JP): The Directorate General of Customs and Excise
has again assured worried businesspeople that imports will be
cleared faster when it regains its inspection authority starting
April 1.
Director of Verification Roy Ronald Lino said yesterday that
the customs office had prepared a system which would guarantee a
smoother flow of imports.
"I can assure you that our new system, by concept, will clear
goods within hours, not days," Roy told The Jakarta Post at his
office.
Roy made the statement in a bid to reassure domestic and
foreign businesses that are concerned about the customs office
taking over the inspection of imports.
Numerous Indonesian, European, American and Korean businesses
have expressed their fear that imports may be delayed and
importing costs increased if customs officers resume inspecting
imports. Many doubt that customs officials have changed their old
attitudes and work behavior, which ultimately forced the
government in mid-1985 to introduce the pre-shipment inspection
system.
However, Roy added, the customs service is not the only
institution involved in the process of releasing imports from
ports. He hinted that any delays might be caused by other
agencies.
He said the process would be quick because customs officials
would be dealing with the documents and importers would be
connected to the customs office's electronic data interchange.
Importers, after paying customs duties and taxes to their
banks, will be able to send customs declarations to the customs
office electronically.
If they have no electronic connection with the customs office,
they can send their customs declarations by computer diskette.
The customs office provides services to prepare diskette customs
declarations. Once it has received confirmation of payment from
the importers' banks, the office will issue a customs clearance
that can be used by importers to clear their imports.
"All of these processes can be done within minutes, not
hours," Roy assured.
However, if there is a random inspection, or if an
intelligence note necessitates physical inspection, the customs
office can bring the imported goods to a "red" lane for closer
inspection. After the inspection, customs officials will allow
importers to clear goods from the port area even if
irregularities are found.
"With this system, we assure businesspeople of a smoother flow
of imports... even smoother than the current pre-shipment
inspection system," Roy said.
The inspection reports will then be sent to the customs
verification section for further study. The verification team
will examine the reports and importers' customs declarations.
If no significant differences are found between the inspection
reports and the importers' customs declaration, no follow-up
steps will be taken.
If differences are discovered, for instance, in the prices or
volume of imports, the verification team will inform the customs
office's auditing section to audit the importers.
Document verification is also applied to look for possible
commercial frauds such as the misdescription of goods, under and
overvaluation, false declarations of quantity or quality, the
abuse of import or export licensing requirements and the like.
If possible commercial fraud is detected, the verification
section is to inform the auditing section and advise it to audit
the importers.
"Verification and auditing serves as a monitoring system which
will not in any case hinder the flow of goods because they will
be conducted after the goods are already cleared," Roy said.
He reminded that the customs office used to conduct post-
auditing of imports a few years ago for importers that received
government facilities, including companies in bonded zones or
production entreports destined for exports.
"We have experience in post-audit work. In addition, we have
professional auditors," Roy said.
He added that his office would assign 456 auditors across the
country, of which 120 would be stationed in Jakarta's Tanjung
Priok port. (rid)