The Ministry of Trade destroyed 730 bales of used clothes, shoes, and bags suspected of being imported worth approximately Rp. 10 billion. These used imported goods were obtained from suppliers in Batam.
Meanwhile, Plt. Director General of Consumer Protection and Orderly Commerce, Moga Simatupang, explained that this destruction was carried out to protect consumers from the threat of health and domestic industry.
"From the results of temporary development, it is suspected that the used clothes, shoes and bags were obtained from a supplier located in Batam," he said in an official statement, Friday, March 17.
Currently, said Moga, the Ministry of Trade is still collecting further information related to the process and entry of the used clothing to Indonesia.
Moga also added that the synergy of all relevant ministries/agencies is needed in supervising items that are prohibited from importing because this task is not only the responsibility of the Ministry of Trade but involves all parties.
"I ask to stop the practice of buying and selling used goods from imports in the territory of the Republic of Indonesia, because the commitment of PKTN and all agencies related to this is to take firm action and destroy it," concluded Moga.
For your information, used clothes, shoes, and bags are goods that are prohibited from importing based on the Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number 18 of 2021 as amended by the Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number 40 of 2022 concerning Amendments to Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number 18 of 2021 concerning Prohibited Goods for Exports and Goods Prohibited from Imports.
Previously reported, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan said the destruction of these used imported goods was a follow-up to the direction of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the opening of Business Matching Domestic Products which condemned the import of used clothing because it had disrupted the domestic industry.
"The president's directive is very firm so that the domestic industry and MSMEs are maintained and must be protected from the invasion of used clothes, footwear, and used bags from imports," said the man who is familiarly called Zulhas.
The Ministry of Trade, said Zulhas, routinely monitors and oversees the circulation of these used clothes and enforces the law by destroying them.
"In addition to law enforcement, educational steps and socialization of the use of domestic products are also carried out," he said.
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