Surveyor Indonesia told to diversify its products
Surveyor Indonesia told to diversify its products
JAKARTA (JP): State-owned PT Surveyor Indonesia was told by
the government yesterday to diversify its services to anticipate
the possible removal of its core business, the pre-shipment
inspection of imports.
When opening the company's two-day international workshop here
yesterday, Director General for State-owned Enterprises Bacelius
Ruru said the company could now start offering services related
to its core business.
The company will also be allowed to move on to other sectors
outside its customs-related services, as long as they are still
within the boundaries of its missions, Ruru said.
"In such a situation, the company's assets and human resources
will function more effectively," Ruru told dozens of the
executives representing the company's 18 branches in 18
countries.
Ruru's remarks came in response to concerns for the survival
of Surveyor Indonesia beyond the time when the government scraps
the current pre-shipment inspection system, which has been in
place since 1985.
Director General of Customs and Excise Soehardjo Soebardi said
recently that the directors general of customs from the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed not to
use the pre-shipment inspection system for the trade activities
under the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) agreement, to be
implemented after the year 2003.
"Surveyor Indonesia has to diversify its products in case the
government replaces the pre-shipment inspection system with
another system," Ruru said. "However, so far the government is
staying with the current system."
The company's director of finance and administration, Toga M.
Sitompul, said that his company was preparing to diversify its
products, including business information services, consultancy
and appraisal, asset management and quality assurances.
The quality assurance services include quality management
system (ISO-9000) consultancy, total quality management
consultancy and quality system training.
The environmental management services consist of environmental
management system (EMS/ISO-1400) consultancy, eco-labeling and
environmental system training.
New service
Speaking at the workshop, economist Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti
suggested that Surveyor Indonesia introduce a new service to
identify the countries of origins for goods traded within the
free trade area.
"The rule of origin remains a daunting problem for any free
trade area," Dorodjatun said.
He added that the pre-shipment inspection procedures would
serve as the most reliable way to identify the countries of
origin for any goods.
Meanwhile, I Nyoman Moena, a former president of the company,
told The Jakarta Post that the government would have to dissolve
Surveyor Indonesia when the country changes to another system of
customs clearance.
The government has to take into consideration the opinions of
customs users, most of whom are importers, Moena said.
The associations of Indonesian importers, exporters and ship-
owners have expressed their support for the pre-shipment
inspection system.
The government last July extended its contract with Surveyor
Indonesia to carry out the pre-shipment inspection of imports for
another two years. The company then hired out the Geneva-based
Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS) as its sub-contractor.
Togar said his company has 48 percent of the contract value of
Rp 200 billion (US$87.3 million), compared to only five percent
of the 1993-1995 contract. The rest goes to SGS.
Surveyor Indonesia is 76 percent owned by the Indonesian
government, 20 percent by the Geneva-based Societe Generale de
Surveillance and four percent by the state-owned PT Sucofindo.
(kod/rid)