Prabowo seeks end to import quotas to boost business competition

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has instructed the Red and White Cabinet to eliminate import quotas to facilitate businesses, particularly those with global partnerships.

"I have given an instruction to eliminate import quotas, especially for goods that are related to the livelihoods of many people," he remarked during the National Economic Forum in Jakarta on Tuesday, livestreamed through the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel.

The president's directive aims to address complaints from businesses partnered with global companies, especially those from the United States.

Those businesses expressed concerns that the rules on imports in Indonesia have created uncertainty in the negotiation process between companies, which may lead to delays.

Hence, to guarantee certainty regarding the import mechanism, the president proposed eliminating import quotas as part of his deregulation efforts aimed at fostering healthy business competition in Indonesia.

"That is one of our efforts to streamline and facilitate the business climate. We should make businesspeople feel facilitated," he underscored.

Meanwhile, the president urged businesspersons to continue their commitment to contributing to the country.

Furthermore, Prabowo requested that they ensure job availability for the community and reminded them to comply with tax regulations as part of the efforts to contribute to the state.

"We ask businesspeople to pay taxes diligently," he stated.

On that occasion, President Prabowo also directed his Cabinet ministers to make the domestic component level (TKDN) regulations more flexible to maintain the global competitiveness of Indonesian industries.

His remarks were in response to economists' suggestions that the government maintain Indonesia's global standing in terms of industrialization.