he House of Representatives is working on a regulatory framework to govern and oversee trade in Indonesia’s strategic commodities through a new agency.
In a working meeting involving the Industry Ministry, the Trade Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry on Thursday, House Legislation Body (Baleg) chairman Bob Hasan said a bill on the matter was being drafted.
He previously explained that the legislation would take the form of an omnibus law, considering the variety of strategic commodities to be regulated, from cassava and rice to tobacco.
“Hence, it’s called an omnibus [law], because there is so much input [on drafting the bill]. The governance and trade [of strategic commodities] from upstream to downstream will be regulated,” he said, as quoted in a press release released on Tuesday by Bob’s party, Gerindra.
The new legal framework aims to strengthen the protection of the country’s agricultural sector, plantations and domestic industries. It will also focus on curbing illegal imports that have become a burden on domestic producers.
According to the draft of the omnibus bill, the central government is set to establish a new agency that will serve as a platform involving various stakeholders for improving the production and processing of strategic commodities.
The agency’s core functions include driving economic growth through an integrated upstream-to-downstream commodities and strategic processing industry, strengthening integration and research, conducting promotional activities and international diplomacy as well as fostering interinstitutional synergy.