Sritex Rescue Must Go Along With Eradication Of Illegal Imports, Textile Alliance: Its Ecosystem Has Been Damaged For A Long Time

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Textile Society Alliance (AMTI) emphasized that the rescue of PT Sri Rejeki Isman (Sritex) must be in line with eradicating illegal imports.

AMTI Coordinator Agus Riyanto reminded the government to fix the textile ecosystem as a whole.

"It should be noted that this ecosystem needs to be repaired, which has long been damaged by wholesale and illegal imports," Agus said in his official statement, Tuesday, November 5.

Agus said that the revision of the Regulation of the Minister of Trade (Permendag) Number 8 of 2024 could be carried out. However, it would be in vain if illegal imports continued.

He considered that law enforcement on illegal imports and dismissal of wholesale imports was the main agenda to save the domestic textile industry.

"If it has to be revised to Permendag 8, I don't think there will be much change. What must be revised is only in plastic raw materials," he said.

According to Agus, this illegal import has never used the rules or paid taxes. And as much as 80 percent of the traditional Indonesian textile market, according to him, has been dominated by illegal imported products. "So, this must be eradicated to its roots," he said.

Furthermore, Agus said, if the government and law enforcement officials can complete this illegal practice, later Sritex and other industries will get domestic market certainty. Thus, it will help cash flow to be smoother.

"The improvement must be holistic. If wholesale imports are stopped and this illegal import practice is revealed so that the roots can return to normal gradually. Likewise with other textile industries," said Agus.

As is known, Sritex was cut off by the Semarang Commercial District Court over the lawsuit filed by PT Indo Bharat Rayon (IBR). In this case, Sritex is considered negligent about the debt to IBR. Thus, the problem ended long and had a fatal impact on the company.

Currently, Sritex is submitting an appeal to the Supreme Court (MA) in the hope that the Supreme Court's decision can cancel the Commercial Court's decision.

Sritex stated that it has around 50,000 employees in its group, of which 14,112 employees are said to have been directly affected by the bankruptcy decision. The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) is also worried about mass layoffs due to Sritex bankruptcy.