THE Indonesian Export Entrepreneurs Association (GPEI) hopes that the policy of banning the operation of logistics trucks with 3 axles and above during religious holidays must consider the economic side. Because, the ban is clearly very detrimental to entrepreneurs, especially those who do not know the holiday time, and will automatically reduce their contribution to the national economy.
“Actually, what we expect is that our officials also have a sense of crisis and a sense of business. We see that the world economy is sluggish, our exports are also decreasing. What exists is that we must boost and increase our national exports, not issue policies that will make things more difficult,” said Secretary General of the Indonesian Export Entrepreneurs Association (GPEI) Toto Dirgantoro to the media.
So, he continued, making those policies should be more towards supporting the national economy, not just for momentary interests. “Moreover, we see that the industry doesn’t travel far either. The export industry, for example, only goes from the industrial area to the port. That should be anticipated, it doesn’t have to be banned,” he said.
He said the export industry does not recognize holidays. “Foreign ships do not see our holidays. Then we have a contract with the buyer. This means that the buyer determines the ship and they know the goods are sent according to schedule,” he said.
So, he said, with these prohibitions, it will add extra costs for exporters. “We are forced to use escort services on the road so that our goods can be sent on time. We ask for dispensation for escort and that requires extra costs that are not small,” he said.
Moreover, according to him, if the ban is enforced for a very long time like during this year’s Eid holiday. Meanwhile, he said, in the export industry, if the ship arrives on Eid, the goods must still have entered the port. “It must still be ready to depart, it cannot be delayed any longer. Well, this is what needs to be thought about. Like during last Eid, when we continued to travel with a nighttime escort dispensation, it did not disrupt traffic flow on the road at all. What is important is just the arrangement of vehicles,” he said.
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So, according to him, the policy on the ban needs to be reconsidered. Because, the volume of vehicles on the road is also not too much for export. “Moreover, our operating hours during big holidays can be arranged at night or whatever. Everything is actually possible, and that is what we actually hope for,” he said.
He said the government must also look at economic interests as well as the homecoming community. In addition to regulating the time, according to Toto, large trucks should at least be allowed to pass through arterial roads. “If it is considered that passing through toll roads disturbs homecoming people, at least all large trucks can pass through arterial roads. So, there are many alternative solutions that can be thought of. Therefore, we hope that in our government the officials have a sense of crisis as well as a sense of business,” he said.
Moreover, he said, exports are very useful for strengthening the country’s foreign exchange reserves. “If there is no foreign exchange, we will also die. Because, we also need dollars to pay our country’s debts abroad,” he said. He said that so far the government has never seen how disruptive the impact of the prohibition policy is to entrepreneurs. “It seems like it has not been studied, there is no study on how it will impact our economy. Because it has been customary for a long time that large trucks are prohibited from driving during major holidays, until now it is still being done without first studying the economic losses it causes,” he said. (M-4)
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