MATARAM - The Trade Office of Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara Province, is immediately looking for options for a solution to the prohibition of selling imported used clothes (thrifting) so as not to harm the people who still depend on this business.
"We will immediately coordinate and synchronize with various competent parties regarding the ban on the sale of imported used clothing to find the best solution, especially for traders," said Mataram City Trade Service (Disdag) Secretary Syamsul Irawan as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 23.
The statement was made in response to the policy of the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) which is currently still focused on banning the import of used clothes from abroad as regulated in the regulation of the Minister of Trade.
Even recently, the Ministry of Trade has burned imports of used clothes from abroad worth Rp. 9 billion, because it is considered to be harmful to health. Meanwhile, in the city of Mataram, there is a sales center for selling imported used clothing which is quite well known, namely at the Karang Sukun Market.
"Until now, we have not read the official government regulations. At this time, we have not issued a ban on imports of used clothes from abroad," he said.
It's just that, continued Syamsul, if the results of coordination and synchronization with Mataram related parties have to issue a ban, then the rules will still be enforced.
"But there must be an option, lest people who have just started their activities after the COVID-19 pandemic fall again. We want traders to still be able to carry out economic activities so they don't cause harm," he said.
In this case, according to Syamsul, the government will think of an option to replace the business of the traders so that no one will be harmed. But that doesn't mean the city government lets them break the law.
"That's why the government must be here to find the best solution, lest our society be harmed. If it is prohibited then there must be a substitute for their business," he said.
Meanwhile, one of Intan's second-hand clothes consumers said that she is more comfortable and satisfied shopping for imported used clothes because with relatively cheap prices she can already have branded clothes.
"Imported used clothes help us the lower middle class to have the clothes we want but at cheap prices. The price of clothes starts from 1,000 per sheet to tens of thousands depending on the brand and quality," said Syamsul.
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