Prabowo Wants To Remove Import Quota, Association Worried 70 Percent Of Entrepreneurs Turn To Traders

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Textile Association (API) highlighted President Prabowo Subianto's plan to request that the import quota be removed.

API Deputy Chairperson Ian Syarif said the policy has the potential to make the domestic textile industry no longer in demand by entrepreneurs.

Ian predicts that as many as 70 percent of textile industry players will leave the business because it is no longer profitable. Given, there is pressure from the large number of imported goods entering Indonesia if the import quota is removed.

"So, 70 percent maybe if my predictions from the industry will slowly leave the industry," said Ian in a discussion entitled 'Import quota removed, Threat or Challenge?' in Jakarta, Thursday, April 17.

He added that the textile industry players will most likely switch to become traders. According to them, said Ian, being a trader is easier than a textile industry actor.

Dalam hal ini adalah ketimpangan regulasi. Ian membanding kemudahan membuat usaha virtual office dengan kesulitan membangun industri, yakni membangun pabrik yang bisa membuat waktu hingga dua tahun.

"So traders are easier than industry players. And what we always say is that API makes virtual office? Meanwhile, to make the industry for two years has not yet become. So I'm afraid I'm the last generation to want to make a factory," he said.

According to Ian, currently many policies have been issued by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia which has eroded the textile industry. For example, through female workers (TKW) who are allowed to carry goods worth up to 1,400 US dollars and the phenomenon of entrusted services (jastip) that was previously limited, but now it is happening again.

"The depository service was blocked, right, bring clothes like that. Now it's running normally and Kamo can see on TikTok how many rappers (people who open services) sell online there. And it really kills our creative industry, especially SMEs. Many of our friends were the creative industry that started making up domestic goods to support them. Finally they then switched to sellers," he said.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto instructed the abolition of import quotas for products related to the lives of many people. This step was taken as a form of reform on the import policy.

Regarding the policy of removing the import quota, one of the commodities called meat. This was conveyed by Prabowo during the Economic Sarasehan event which was held at the Mandiri Tower, Jakarta, Tuesday, April 8.

In addition, the Head of State also asked for import opportunities to be opened to anyone who wants and is able to do so. The 8th President also emphasized that import activities are no longer chosen who can do it and who can't.

"Who can afford it, who wants to import, please, be free. We no longer point out that only this is permissible, it is not allowed," said President Prabowo Subianto, launching from the presidential.go.id page.