Government Plans to Address Factory Closures, Layoffs in Textile Industry
- ANTARA FOTO/Raisan Al Farisi
Jakarta – Lately, the textile and textile product (TTP) industry in Indonesia has been in a weak condition, with numerous store closures and mass layoffs.
In response to this, the Government, including Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, held a limited meeting with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the State Palace.
Minister Hasan stated that the Government will reinstate the Minister of Trade Regulation (Permendag) Number 8 of 2024, amending Permendag 36/2023 on Import Policy and Regulation.
"The reinstatement of this regulation is proposed by Industry Ministry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita to address the wave of layoffs in the textile industry," he said after the limited meeting at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday (June 25).
Menteri Perdagangan, Zulkifli Hasan, di acara Halalbihalal 2024 yang digelar di Kantor Kementerian Perdagangan, Jakarta, Kamis, 25 April 2024.
- VIVA.co.id/Mohammad Yudha Prasetya
"We will impose safeguard duties (BMTP) and anti-dumping duties on TTP and ready-made clothing, electronics, footwear, ceramics, and bags," he added.
The minister also conveyed that the ministers would further formulate regulations on import policy and regulation to ensure prompt implementation.
He hoped that the regulations could be finalized in the coming days.
"Hopefully, if the letter is completed, within two to three days, the imposition of BMTP and anti-dumping duties can be finalized," the minister stated.
Furthermore, to formulate long-term measures to protect the textile industry, the minister said that the proposals from the Ministry of Industry would refer to two points.
"Whether to return to Minister of Trade Regulation 8 or to draft a new regulation, we will discuss further," he said.
Earlier, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita had pushed for the implementation of international trade barriers through trade remedies, such as safeguard duties (BMTP) and anti-dumping duties (BMAD), to protect the domestic TTP industry.
Therefore, Minister Kartasasmita emphasized the need for collaboration with relevant ministries to ensure the swift implementation of trade remedies for the protection of the domestic TTP industry.
"The success of these efforts must be comprehensive, not solely by the Ministry of Industry, as the authority doesn't lie solely with the Ministry of Industry," he concluded.