Prabowo Asks Sritex Workers To Be Rescued, Indef Economist: Save Industry Not One Company

Indef Economist Ahmad Heri Firdaus. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Indef economist Ahmad Heri Firdaus said the government's move to save PT Sri Rejeki Isman (Sritex) must be carried out thoroughly and also long-term.

"So, there must be rescue steps, but this rescue step of course must be sustainable. You can't just save for a moment," he said when met in the SCBD area, Jakarta, Tuesday, October 29.

According to Heri, the signal of the condition of the textile industry and textile products (TPT) has been seen since the administration of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

Therefore, Heri said the government should have taken steps to save this industry for a long time.

"This should have been from the era of President Jokowi, yes, steps were taken that could really save the national textile industry and textile products," he said.

Heri added that Sritex-like companies and other textile industries had also experienced shocks.

"There are companies that have experienced shocks before and this should have been the government from the start. Don't wait for Sritex to go bankrupt, then just order the relevant ministers to how to solve this problem," he said.

Heri hopes that the policies taken by the government will not only save some companies but save the domestic TPT industry.

"Hopefully the policy is not taken to save one, two companies but save the industry. Because the hope is that in the presence of such regulations that are changed or revised regulations, this hope has an impact on one industry, it has no impact on one or two companies but also the industrial sector," he said.

According to Heri, the policies issued by the government must also be able to increase the activity of the domestic TPT industry.

"Then it can also revive industries that have been affected so far, let's start collapsing, hopefully they can grow again and absorb a lot more workforce," he explained.

Previously reported, the Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita opened his voice about PT Sri Rejeki Isman Tbk (SRIL) aka PT Sritex which was declared bankrupt by the Semarang Commercial District Court (PN).

Agus said President Prabowo Subianto had ordered four ministries to immediately take steps to save workers working at the giant Indonesian textile company.

The four ministries include the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin), the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu), the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) and the Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) who will review the appropriate scheme for this.

"President Prabowo has ordered the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Finance, the Minister of SOEs and the Minister of Manpower to immediately review several options and schemes to save Sritex," Agus said in a written statement, Friday, October 25.

Because, according to Agus, saving Sritex workers from termination of employment (PHK) is the government's priority at this time.

"The government will immediately take steps so that the company's operations continue and workers can be saved from layoffs. These rescue options and schemes will be delivered as soon as possible, after the four ministries have finished formulating a rescue method," he said.