Media

The Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo) stated that special treatment is needed for the textile and textile product (TPT) industry to compete with imported goods.

"Import treatment cannot be generalized. Industries like TPT need special policies," said Apindo Chairman Shinta Kamdani in Jakarta on Thursday.

She mentioned that both producers and the import mechanisms must be well-prepared. This is to ensure that the domestic TPT industry can compete with imported finished products. Additionally, she stressed that the government must ensure that imported products are not illegal TPT goods.

"The government must also ensure that we are not competing with illegal imports," she said.

Furthermore, Shinta urged all industry players to engage in import substitution by developing products that focus not only on downstream sectors but also on upstream parts of the industry. This is to reduce dependency on imported goods, though she noted that this process requires time.

"This requires preparation, so it's not that easy. Indonesia needs time to develop its industry, and that's why we are saying this is not just about downstream but also upstream industry development," she added.

Previously, the Ministry of Industry stated that the textile and textile product (TPT) industry is concerned about the dominance of imported goods due to the relaxation of prohibitions and restrictions (lartas) under the Ministry of Trade Regulation 8/2024, which no longer enforces technical considerations (Pertek).