Parliament member Inspect Jakarta Port For Garlic Scarcity

Jakarta, March 19 (Antara) - The export-import working committee House`s commission IV held a sudden inspection to the port of Tanjung Priuk`s Upaya Guna Depo following the garlic scarcity. The group was led by the Commission IV Chairman Romahurmuziy and followed a number of members of the Committee such as the commission`s Vice Chairman Herman Khaeron, Anton Sihombing, Siswono Yudhohusodo, Sudin, and Muradi. The working committee questioned 40 containers of garlic imported from China that have no legal documents before they are sent out of the Belawan port, Medan to Tanjung Priok, Jakarta. "They did not have the release permission from the Belawan Quarantine Agency to Tanjung Priok. But the goods have been delivered," said Romahurmuziy in Tanjung Priok, here Monday. Romahurmuziy considered that the possibility of such practices can be replicated by other importers. "If we tolerate this incident, it will be emulated by other importers. Sends stuff first, the documents can be done later," he said. Romahurmuziy presumed that there`s a conspiracy of the garlic importers with related parties in Belawan port, so the goods can be sent first before the documents are issued. "A conspiracy might have been going on between the importers with the quarantine agency because the goods should not be released without any release letters," he added. Romahurmuziy said that the related personnel in Belawan port should be sought, because it is impossible to send the goods before having the legal proper shipping release document before the goods arrive in designated destination.