New system planned to nab bad customs officials
New system planned to nab bad customs officials
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Ministry of Finance plans to issue a decree to form a new
import supervisory system that will allow the newly established
customs watchdog to randomly inspect imported goods at all
seaports after being released by the customs office.
The inspection is aimed at helping curb smuggling and
undervaluation practices and to nab corrupt customs officials.
Head of the customs reform program at the Directorate General
of Customs and Excise Nofrial told The Jakarta Post on Monday
that the system was part of the government's plan to evaluate the
performance of the customs office.
"Imported goods that have been cleared by the customs office
would be inspected physically by the customs watchdog team
shortly after the goods leave the port," said Nofrial.
The system, called "Spot Check", is slated to start April 1.
Nofrial said if the team found any irregularities then they
would apprehend both the importer and the truck driver who
carried the goods and track down the customs officials who helped
in the clearance process.
The unscrupulous importers and the truck driver, said Nofrial,
would be directly handed over to the police while the customs
officials would be given severe administrative sanctions
including demotion or dismissal.
The customs watchdog comprises officials from the Inspectorate
General of the Ministry of Finance, the National Ombudsman and
the National Police.
Customs officials will not be involved in the inspection
process and there will be no prior notice given to the director
general of customs about the spot inspection.
Nofrial further said that the head of a customs office could
even be removed if found to be involved in granting a customs
clearance for illegal goods or in undervaluation practices.
To date, the head of a customs service office is the last
person in the hierarchy who authorizes the clearance of imported
goods.
The customs office has been criticized for years for its
failure to curb smuggling and undervaluation practices. The
agency has long been suspected of colluding with smugglers.
Numerous systems and attempts to curb such practices have been
launched over the past two years, however no concrete results
have transpired.
Many businessmen suspect that government policies and systems
to curb smuggling and undervaluation practices are mere window
dressing to improve the tarnished image of the corruption-
infested customs offices.