DEADLINE FOR BAN ON UNCERTIFIED TOY PRODUCTS NOT PROLONGED

The Ministry of Industry admitted they had been most tolerant with importers, traders, associa­tions who were rushing to obtain SNI certificate by October 1, 2014. The Ministry of Industry would not prolong deadline for toy producers in accordance with inter-ministrial agreement. "Toys already in circula­tion in the market, will be regarded as one shipment. We have allowed conveniences and we will not de­lay" Ramon Bangun, Director of Textile Industry and Various Products of the Ministry of Industry disclosed to Business News [12/61.

Domestic toy producers at home rated the Government was not serious about implementation of Indonesia National Standard [SNI] on toy products. Importers must put SNI label on their products. The rule was intended to protect consumers, especially children from toys containing B3 poisonous compo­nent. "In the event that after October 1 2014 they still distribute uncertified products, we will report them to the police. Our action is in accordance with the Law for Consumer's Protection [UU-PK No. 8/1999] and the latest Industrial Law." Ramon was quoted as say­ing.

Six month of tolerance was enough for busi­nesspeople. While waiting for deadline, the Ministry of Industry now only controlling and doing counse­ling. All actions were persuative acts and had been effective. "We still tolerate trading, but after October 1 no more excuses. Law offenders would be reported to the police."

Persuasive act, among them through asso­ciations like the Association of Indonesian Educative and Traditional Toys Producers [APMETI]. In several meetings producers stated they had no objection to the rule. On the one hand the Government was con­vinced that the application of SNI certification did not automatically kill business. "but toys must be good and safe, and not dangerous" The argumentation was reasonable indeed. Without SNI, the competition between imported and domestic toys would be dis­advantageous to domestic industry. The total import value was relatively small, i.e. around USD 104 mil­lion, while export of Indonesian toys came to around USD 350 million.

Volume wise, Indonesia's import of toy was more than export. Volume of imported toys came to 40,000 tons worth USD 114 million, while export was only 30,000 tons. Price of exported goods per kilogram was higher than imported toys. "Meaning, the quality of exported goods are by far better than imported goods which contained unsafe metal like Cadmium [Cd], copper [Cu], tin [Bb] etc. It is not dif­ficult to test product for SNI certification, we provide the facilities" Ramon stated.

Meanwhile the Central Textile Workshop of the Ministry of Industry made the same statement and they agreed with the Directorate General of Ba­sic Industry and Manufacturing, the Ministry of Indus­try. "We are not trying to make things difficult for businesspeople. The procedure of SNBI labeling is not complicated, it's very simple" Head of Testing, Cer­tification and Calibration of BBT Quri Siti Mirah dis­closed to BusinessNews [12/6].

The procedure of application for SNI certificate was as follows: First, applicant come to the Council of Product, Certification who would check up all the equipments and requirements for getting certification. If all requirements were fulfilled, the applicant must apply to the Council of Certification in Jakarta. “The preconditions are set by BIM. We do the screening process, including testing the components in the product. We take samples, which after being checked are returned to LS Pro. If the product pass the test, they get the certificate. All products are treated the same: toys, textile and textile products,”

BBT is technical executor at the Ministry of Industry who reported to the Head of the Board of Industrial Quality and Climate Studies. BBT rendered services among others in testing, consultation, training, energy conservation, processing technology etc. BBT referred to the Regulation of the Ministry of Industry No. 33/2014. BBT was part of SNI controlling process in application of Azo coloring agent, formalin, and metal content. The SNI ISO 17025 test lab was KAN accredited since year 2000. “Our task is only to test whether there is any extracted metal content, but in terms of regulation and legal action and control over uncertified products in the market is not in our domain.” Siti Mirah concluded. (SS)

Business News - June 18, 2014