1,300 Local Brands Enter Government Radar To Replace Illegal Import Products

Minister of MSMEs Maman Abdurrahman (between)

JAKARTA - The government has begun to prepare massive substitution steps for the rampant circulation of illegal imported products, especially used clothes and goods without labeling. A total of 1,300 local brands are ready to replace illegal imported products that have been flooding the domestic market.

The move was discussed at the meeting of the Minister of Trade Budi Santoso and Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Maman Abdurrahman at the Ministry of Trade Office, Jakarta, Monday, November 17.

Trade Minister Budi said the synergy between the two ministries was directed to bring MSMEs up to class, including through the MSMEs Dare to Innovation program, Ready to Adapt (MSMEs Can Export) initiated by the Ministry of Trade.

"We are coordinating to strengthen the competitiveness of MSMEs through the collaboration of existing programs, including the MSME Program, which can be exported initiated by the Ministry of Trade. From a policy perspective, both ministries continue to synergize policies perspectives that favor and support MSME growth," Budi said in an official statement, Monday, November 17.

One of the main highlights of this meeting was the handling of the entry of imported clothing and unlabeled goods which were considered detrimental to the MSME ecosystem.

MSME Minister Maman Abdurrahman revealed that as of today around 1,300 local brands have been registered from other categories of clothing, shoes, accessories, and various other import products to be substituted for illegal imported products.

These products are prepared to replace the circulation of imported used clothing, so that imported clothing traders can be directed to sell quality local clothing, said Maman.

Furthermore, Maman said this step was a momentum to strengthen the empowerment of MSMEs as a whole. This includes creating a more solid MSME empowerment ecosystem.

The big issue we discussed was optimizing the empowerment of MSMEs and protecting local business actors. Alhamdulillah, the Ministry of Trade from the start was very concerned about supporting MSMEs. With this communication and coordination intensification, we want MSMEs to grow faster, stronger, and host their own country," he said.

As a follow-up, the two ministers agreed to assign a technical team to develop a more detailed local product protection scheme. This effort includes strengthening the supply chain of MSMEs, improving product quality, and structuring used clothing business models in order to switch to selling local products.

"The most important thing is that we must protect domestic economic manufacturers and actors. Our policies must be in favor, fair, and provide the best solution for all," said Maman.