Regarding TikTok Shop Prohibited From Selling, Entrepreneur from Surabaya Tom Liwafa Says This

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Entrepreneur or crazy rich from Surabaya, Tom Liwafa, has also opened his voice regarding the government's steps to ban social commerce, especially TikTok Shop, from selling.

It is known that the revision of Regulation of the Minister of Trade (Permendag) Number 50 of 2020 concerning Provisions for Business Licensing, Advertising, Guidance and Supervision of Business Actors in Trading Via Electronic Systems will soon be promulgated.

If the revised regulations are published, all social commerce will be prohibited from acting as producers.

Tom Liwafa believes that the government's move to ban e-commerce for selling is not the right solution. The reason is, this ban could kill hundreds of thousands of sellers (sellers) who have been established in e-commerce.

"We heard rumors that TikTok Shop would be banned, okay I agree with cross border being banned, so foreign products cannot just enter Indonesia, but now my question is one, how many hundreds of thousands of people are selling on e-commerce, which one they are helped, for example mothers in the village, children who then go to college, they can earn more income from the TikTok Shop or from whatever platform," said Tom Liwafa, quoted from a video on his personal Instagram account @tomliwafa, on Tuesday, September 26.

Barriers to MSME Digitalization

According to him, the ban on e-commerce for selling only hinders the digitalization of MSMEs and harms a number of other parties.

"Now, if there is a slight prohibition, a slight prohibition, my question for this government now is what form of digitalization of MSMEs will take. I'm sorry, if it's just a ban, where is the solution, while we are sacrificing hundreds of thousands of sellers who are formed there, people who don't have money "To rent a shophouse or buy billions, they sell via TikTok Shop or e-commerce platforms easily," said Tom Liwafa.

Tom Liwafa also asked the government to provide the right solution so that not only some parties benefit.

"So, if for example it is then banned, 'what is the solution?' "Then do we sacrifice the struggles of our online shop friends, who have big dreams from non-shops to become big," he said.

"So what? I'm sorry, sir, don't just ban it, okay, regulations are set, I agree, but if you then ban it massively like that, what's the solution, sir, I'm sorry," he added.

He also hopes that his statement on his personal Instagram account can be heard by the government.

"I am only a representative of TikTok friends, and represent seller friends from online shops. I also have the authority to speak up. I hope my speak up will be heard by the government," he explained.

Meanwhile, businessman and husband of actress Gritte Agatha, Arif Hidayat, also commented on the government's move to prohibit TikTok Shop from selling.

He commented on one of the account uploads, namely @ussfeeds, which stated that the government had banned direct transactions on TikTok.

In this case, Jokowi only allows TikTok Shop to carry out promotions.

Arif suddenly asked when the ban would come into effect in Indonesia.

"When will @jokowi start, sir?" wrote Arif Hidayat in a post on his personal Instagram account @arif_hidayat.

Even so, this businessman in the fashion sector with a clothing brand called Livehaf feels that his business is not too disturbed by this. Because the initial basis of his business is his own website.

"Luckily, the initial basis was my own website. However, the internet was blocked and I continued selling offline," he said.