Entrepreneurs Call The Indonesian Textile Industry Critical Of The Impact Of 26,000 Containers Freed

Container illustration (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Association of Indonesian Filament Filament Filaments and Fiament Producers (APSyFI) has held the Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs (Menko Perekonomian) Airlangga Hartarto accountable for the entry of illegal imported products into the country.

APSYFI said that the illegal import task force managed to secure illegal imported goods worth Rp40 billion in the form of electronic products to finished clothes. This control is the first step in cracking down on illegal imported products circulating in the market.

Even so, Secretary of the Eksesekutif Association of Indonesian Filamentary Filaments & Benang Producers (APSyFI) Farhan Aqil Syauqi said that the efforts of this illegal import task force must be balanced with synergy between ministries/agencies in uncovering the case behind the massive illegal imports entering Indonesia.

"We still remember Pak Airlangga and Mrs. Sri Mulyani who issued 26.000 containers into the domestic market. We also do not know what the contents of the container are because the data has never been submitted to the public. This was also confirmed from the statement of the Minister of Trade (Zulkifli Hasan) that at the time of producing Permendag Number 8, Mr. Zulkifli Hasan did not participate at all. The Minister of Industry also did not know what the contents of the container were," said Farhan in a written statement, Tuesday, July 30.

It should be noted that the signing of the Minister of Trade, Zulkifli Hasan, carried out the signing of the 8th Minister of Trade of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Peru.

Airlangga Hartarto as Coordinating Minister for the Economy serves as Minister of Trade Ad Interim.

At that time, the Special Staff of the Minister of Trade Bara Krishna said, Mr. Zulkifli Hasan was called by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy at 2 am Peru time who asked for the issuance of 26,000 containers in Tanjung Priok and Tanjung Perak. Thus, it is necessary to revise the Minister of Trade Regulation 36/2023 which is now the Minister of Trade Regulation 8/2024.

Farhan also revealed that the condition of the textile industry is now in critical condition. With the entry of 26,000 containers, the current condition is exacerbating. Thousands of employee Employment Terminations (PHK) and factory closures are still ongoing.

He also asked Airlangga Hartarto and Sri Mulyani to take responsibility for the omission of the textile industry today.

"Pak Airlangga and Mrs. Sri Mulyani must be responsible for thousands of workers who have been laid off to date. Our discussions with the government regarding cheap imported products have been around for years. Not to mention we are talking about the safeguarding cloth that has not been signed by Mrs. Sri Mulyani, which has been chronic. The peak with the issuance of Permendag 8/2024 makes 26,000 containers enter Indonesia. This is like legalizing illegal imports in Indonesia," said Farhan.

Furthermore, Farhan revealed that the illegal import task force formed by the Minister of Trade could be successful if all relevant ministries & institutions dared to disclose data on companies involved, anyone who participates in stopping wholesale imports.

"The key is data transparency. All ministries and institutions must dare to reveal who is playing in this illegal import. Starting from the application for import approval recommendations from the Ministry of Industry, import approval from the Ministry of Trade to the amount that comes from the Ministry of Finance Customs. Everything in the task force must have the data. Then, wholesale imports also need to be stopped because of the large number of illegal products that enter through this route," he said.

On the other hand, he also hopes that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) can evaluate the performance of this illegal import task force within a period of 1-3 months of work.

"Pak Jokowi must also evaluate the performance of this task force. Because this illegal import is certainly detrimental to the state as well as in terms of income, which should be subject to import duties and entry to the state, even misappropriation. This task force also needs to be continued during the next presidential election (Prabowo-Gibran) period," he concluded.