JAKARTA - The national textile sector is currently in a recovery phase after facing heavy pressure due to the pandemic and other global disruptions. In the midst of the government's efforts and business actors to restore the competitiveness of this industry, an alarming phenomenon emerged: the birth of regulatory pressure by groups claiming to represent the industry, but actually making things worse.
The Executive Director of the Indonesian Political House, Fernando Emas, called this phenomenon a form of regulatory premanism, namely a systematic effort from certain groups to impose their will through pressure on public policies, often by wrapping them in narratives that seem to represent national or industrial interests as a whole.
One of the cases highlighted was pressure from the Indonesian Filamentary Filament Filament Fiament Fiasters Association (APSyFI) regarding the application of Anti-damping Import Duty (BMAD) to POY and DTY polyester yarn products from China. This effort was rejected because it was feared that it would have an impact on the downstream industry, especially the textile and garment industry, which has the potential to cause tens of thousands of layoffs (PHK). Luckily, according to Fernando, the government was objective and alert by rejecting the proposal based on a thorough impact analysis.
Furthermore, Fernando highlighted the involvement of entities such as the Indonesian Textile Consumer Foundation (YKTI), which claims to represent consumers, but actively encourages mandatory SNI regulations for all textile products.
"It needs to be traced whether YKTI is a branch of the Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YKI) or only an institution on behalf of the community," he said, Monday, June 30.
He also suspects the organization's relationship with certain producer associations, which indirectly become a means of pressure on the government through populist narratives and letters to state institutions.
Regarding SNI, Clothing Is Mandatory To Become
Fernando explained that SNI is required to wear clothes, so it is currently only applied to the category of baby clothes, and that is also based on consumer safety reasons.
"Using babies that are not suitable for SNI can contain dangerous substances such as lead, which if you follow it by a baby can endanger your health. So, the implementation of SNI is mandatory for this segment to be very reasonable," he said.
However, a comprehensive study is needed before expanding the obligations of SNI to all finished clothing products. Based on BPS' Sakernas data, there are more than 909,000 micro-wearing industries, as well as about 5,800 large and medium-sized industries, which absorb nearly 2.9 million workers.
"If everyone is required to take care of SNI only to be able to sell products, is the state ready to guarantee that there will be no criminalization of MSME actors who only have 2 3 sewing machines in their homes?" Fernando asked.
BACA JUGA:
According to him, what is much more urgent is the improvement of the finished clothing import trade system, which is currently being discussed and is expected to be implemented immediately. The government is working objectively. Do not let the focus on strengthening the national industry be deflected by pressure from groups that prioritize narrow interests," he continued.
Urges For Control Of Problem Organizations
Fernando asked the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to evaluate and even revoke organizational permits that put unhealthy pressure on the process of drafting industrial policies. He considered that actions like this had the potential to disrupt the implementation of President Prabowo Subianto's government priority programs, especially in an effort to increase economic growth through strengthening the domestic industry.
President Prabowo has committed to encouraging the expansion of investment and job creation in strategic sectors. So don't let this big program be disturbed by the interests of a handful of parties who put pressure on it through non-legitimate organizations, "concluded Fernando.
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