Task force established to fight smuggling

Task force established to fight smuggling

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has established a task force to crack down on
smuggling activities which resulted in massive financial losses
for the government and hurt local businesses, a senior
governmental official said Thursday.

Director General at the Customs and Excise Office Permana
Agung said the team would be chaired by Coordinating Minister for
Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti with members including Finance
Minister Boediono, Industry and Trade Minister Rini M Soewandi,
Transportation Minister Agum Gumelar, Military Chief Adm. Widodo
AS and National Police Chief Da'i Bachtiar.

Permana did not specify who else would be on the team when it
was formed, but he said President Megawati Soekarnoputuri had yet
to issue a decree on the establishment of the team.

The plan to establish the interdepartmental team was unveiled
after the Cabinet meeting on Feb. 22.

"We expect the presidential degree on the anti-smuggling team
to be issued this month," Permana said.

The team will be supported by a working group comprising
several director generals of the ministry as well as the military
and police representatives, he said.

The interdepartmental team was considered necessary in view of
the serious problems caused by the smuggling activities and the
apparent impotence or unwillingness of the customs and excise
office to handle the matter on their own.

Permana said the team would have power to impose strict
measures and to crack down on all kinds of smuggling activities.

"The team will also review about 100 regulations on export-
import trade which have been issued by various departments and
have been submitted to the customs and excise office," he said.

Industry players said the rampant smuggling activities were
only possible due to the collusion between corrupt customs
officials and unscrupulous importers, all of whom are in league
with elements in the military and police.

The smuggled goods have created a situation wherein locally
made products are uncompetitive -- lower quality, higher price --
causing massive losses to local manufacturers.

Curbing the corruption is also one of the main agendas
proposed by Rini to revitalize the country's four top
manufacturing sectors of textiles, electronics, footwear and pulp
and paper.

The government formed a joint team in early 2001 to crack down
on fuel smuggling, but it clearly failed in its mandate.