SNI is mandatory for helmets

Mustaqim Adamrah, THE JAKARTA POST, JAKARTA | Fri, 03/13/2009 2:54 PM  

The government is set to mandate the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) on motor cycle helmets sold in the domestic market, a minister says. 

"Starting March 25, all helmets, be they locally produced or imported, must comply with the SNI," said Minister of Industry Fahmi Idris on Thursday after visiting a helmet factory owned by PT Tarakusuma Indah in Cikarang, West Java. 

"*Producers and importers failing to comply with the new standard* will face sanctions," Fahmi said as quoted by Antara. 

The ministry issued on June 25, 2008, a ministerial regulation on SNI requirements for helmets used by motorcyclists. The regulation takes effect and comes into force nine months after its was issued. 

It stipulates that helmets passing a series of assessments will be embossed with the SNI logo, while (local) companies failing to comply with the standard will have their business license revoked. 

"Helmets produced by local manufacturers will be illegal *to trade in the domestic market* if the producers are still recalcitrant after being given a period of time to adjust," Fahmi said, without giving the exact deadline. 

The same goes for importers, that their import licenses will be revoked if they fail to comply with the regulation. Imported helmets would be tested at appointed labs to assess their compliance, Fahmi added. 

The ministry's director general for agricultural and chemical industries, Benny Wahyudi, said customs and excise offices would help supervise the inflow of imported helmets. 

"We sent a notification letter to the WTO *World Trade Organization* in March last year and no countries have complained about our draft regulation since then," he told The Jakarta Post. "So, importers must be ready, by any means, or have their goods seized by the customs and excise office," he said. 

The implementation of the regulation is expected to involve other ministries, include the Trade Ministry as imposed on traders, and the Transportation Ministry in terms of enforcing the obligation to wear helmets marked SNI. The Trade Ministry's director general for domestic trade Subagyo refused to comment when contacted by the Post. 

The Transportation Ministry's director for land transportation safety, Suritno, said mandatory use of such helmets could only be effective as and when all helmets sold here would meet SNI requirements. 

"*The Transportation Ministry* has prepared a draft regulation that stipulates a maximum of Rp 1 million (US$81) in fines and a maximum of a one month jail term for violators," he told the Post. 

Indonesian Helmet Association (AIHI) chairman John Manaf said six of AIHI's seven members were ready to have their products tested. "Our products actually have complied with standards established by Europe. They are safe as long as they are correctly fastened while in use," he told the Post. 

"So, undoubtedly our products will pass the test for the SNI requirements," he said. 

John said around 9 million units were produced in 2007, and almost 10 million were sold in 2008, thanks to rising sales of motorcycles that hit 6,216,183 in 2008.