[030112.EN.AIR] Indonesian Air Cargo Security Is State-run Scam, Says Lobbyist

INDONESIA's new air cargo security system for domestic and international cargo is a conspiracy between the government and the private sector, a lobbyist told the Jakarta Post.

Uchok Sky Khadafi, the Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency's (Fitra) coordinator for investigation and advocacy, said that the conspiracy could be seen from the tariff set by the private sector.

"The government is selling a security policy to the private sector, of which it is the sole benefactor. Security is the task of the government and it [the new air freight management system] should have been free of charge such as it is in Thailand," Mr Khakdafi said.

He predicted that private sector regulated agents were going to charge between IDR440 (US$04.8) and IDR1,150 per kilogramme in the near future.

"The country would suffer financial losses in the region of IDR368 billion per year if the tariff was IDR1,150," he said.

Mr Khadafi said that the government should invest in X-ray machines to inspect cargo, using the state budget instead of asking the private sector to provide it.

In addition, he said that such a management system was not in line with the 2009 Aviation Law. Thus, the government needed to amend the law before implementing the system.

Transport Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan said that the new system was in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization's Annex 17 entitled: 'Security: Safeguarding International Civil Aviation Acts of Unlawful Interference.'

Source : HKSG, 03.01.12.