Sixteen export commodities

Sixteen export commodities

From Bisnis Indonesia

The administration under the leadership of President Megawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz should focus on overcoming the economic crisis. The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has proposed that the government take special action on the emergency measures program as published in Bisnis Indonesia of Oct. 10, 2001 titled Sixteen export commodities need treatment (attention).

Of the 16 export commodities, logs are included in the list. In my understanding, this can be a dilemma for the government as, lately, efforts that the government has made to augment the state income are unreasonable and illogical such as value added tax on various raw materials like logs and cotton.

Also, a variety of tariffs will undergo unjustifiable hikes, for example land and building tax will rise by 400 percent, the electricity rates will automatically increase in each quarter and then fuel prices will surely increase and so on. It seems as if the country's economy is moving in a vicious circle. From which point should treatment begin?

The government has raised some tariffs arbitrarily to add to the state income while business people are hoping for a reduction in various government fees and that regulations be made more simple and easier to follow. It really is a dilemma.

DEHEN BINTI

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan