Jakarta, IO – The Indonesian Retailers Association (Aprindo) believes that the proliferation of buying service, known locally as by its acronym ‘jastip’ (jasa titip) is detrimental to state revenue, thus it needs to be regulated.
Aprindo chairman Roy Nicholas Mandey said jastip is similar to black market economy because they goods are brought to Indonesia without paying import duties, per Bisnis, Fri (19/1).
“Expensive clothes, bags, electronics were put inside the luggage as if they belong to the passengers. And after they leave the airport they are someone waiting to pick them up. No tax is paid,” complained Roy.
Roy emphasized that Aprindo has no problem with the parties running jastip. However, the mechanisms and supervision of this business need to be regulated so that it does not harm the state, especially domestic retail sector.
Meanwhile, the government recently issued Trade Ministerial Regulation (Permendag) 36/2023 on Import Policies and Regulations which will come into effect on March 10, 2024.
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However, instead of tightening imports, the goods brought in by jastip providers are actually also sold in retail outlets. This makes retailers pessimistic that the country’s economy will grow by 6 percent if the government allows the jastip business to run rampant without clear regulations.
“It will actually harm the domestic retail sector, detrimental to state revenue and hurt the local retailers,” he explained. (un)