Minister Teten Says There Is A Possibility Of Permanent Turnover At Tanah Abang Market

Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki spoke with traders at Tanah Abang Market, Jakarta. (Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs (Menkop UKM) Teten Masduki said the decrease in turnover experienced by Tanah Abang Market traders could likely be permanent or permanent if allowed.

Given, the products sold by traders at Tanah Abang Market are unable to compete with the onslaught of imported products whose prices are too cheap.

"Earlier, I discussed with PD Pasar Jaya, this has indeed decreased and the possibility of a permanent decline," said Teten at a press conference at Tanah Abang Market, Jakarta, Tuesday, September 19.

"Although at certain times such as Lebaran, at the end of the year, Eid al-Adha has indeed increased, but it can be ascertained that the permanent impact of this decline is indeed permanent," he added.

Teten had thought about the decline in the turnover of Tanah Abang Market traders because they did not transform from selling directly in the market to online.

"It turns out that they have also carried out transformations, they sell online, but they cannot compete," he said.

He considered, the decline in direct or offline sales, one of which was in the Tanah Abang market, not because they lost to online sales.

However, the products sold by Tanah Abang Market traders cannot compete because imported products sold online have a very cheap price.

"So, later I will see if the goods that enter are very cheap (to the domestic market) illegal or legal. Or indeed we are too cheap, too easy to provide good consumer goods," said Teten.

Furthermore, Teten admitted that the government would try to find a solution to the decline in the turnover of Tanah Abang market traders.

"I will also see later whether we need to regulate, yes, digital platforms, both domestic and external and global, whether the goods they sell there are also accompanied by documents of their goods legal or illegal, do not have SNI permits, do not have halal permits and so on," he said.

"So that we prevent the entry of illegal goods through massive online sales, so as not to hit domestic production," concluded Teten.

One of the traders at Tanah Abang Market named Anggi (31) complained that his sales turnover had decreased by around 80-90 percent.

He considered that the government should immediately close the TikTok Shop because it made its sales turnover drop drastically.

"The turnover was reduced by 80-90 percent. Usually my (income) is Rp. 40-50 million, now it's difficult to get Rp. 1 million," he said.