Indonesian lawmakers urge review of US trade deal ratification

Lawmakers in Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR) are calling for a comprehensive review of the proposed ratification of the Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) between Indonesia and the United States. Adisatrya Suryo Sulisto, Deputy Speaker of Commission VI, emphasized that the agreement's wide-ranging implications for public life and the national fiscal burden necessitate careful consideration, potentially requiring new legislation.

"If it proceeds, ratification must go through lawmaking because the impact is so broad," Adisatrya stated during a hearing with the Coalition of Civil Society for Economic Justice. The commission plans to thoroughly examine the ART's substance with the government before taking a stance. This comes as the coalition submitted a document outlining their concerns and a list of issues related to the ART, which they hope will inform the parliamentary discussions.

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So if it proceeds, the ratification must go through lawmaking because the impact is so broad.

Coalition Coordinator Olicias Gultom explained that their submitted document contains a position statement and an inventory of problems. This information will be formally presented to the DPR and subsequently to the Minister of Trade to aid in discussions on international trade. Adisatrya requested the coalition to organize their documents more systematically for the joint review with the government, assuring that Commission VI will monitor the ART discussions and remain open to further input from civil society.

Earlier, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto indicated that the trade agreement between Indonesia and the US remains valid despite a US Supreme Court ruling on global tariffs. Hartarto clarified that the ruling pertains to the cancellation of global tariffs and reimbursements for specific corporations, while the bilateral agreement between Indonesia and the US operates under its own distinct mechanisms.

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We will represent that as an official document that we submit to the DPR. So there is a statement that we just read, including a list of problems that we have compiled.