The textile and textile product (TPT) industry in Indonesia is still one of the sectors that generates large income for the country. However, the value of the gross domestic product (GDP) of this industry began to decline. In the first quarter of 2023, the TPT industry's GDP growth rate was 0.07 percent, slowing compared to the previous year's 3.61 percent (year on year). The TPT industry's GDP contribution to national GDP in Quarter I-2023 also decreased to 1.01 percent when compared to Quarter I-2022 of 1.10 percent. The impact on the performance of the TPT industry has also led to a significant reduction in manpower. Until now, there has been a reduction in the workforce in the form of Termination of Employment (PHK) in the textile industry sector up to 70 thousand people.

Member of the Legislative Body (Baleg) of the DPR RI Muhammad Farhan said, currently the Baleg is discussing the draft law (RUU) on clothing for the sake of the sustainability of the Indonesian TPT industry in the future. From the various visits and discussions he conducted, Farhan received a lot of input regarding the problem of declining TPT industry growth.

"This bill is being discussed because it is a proposal from the government, especially the Ministry of Industry. We really want good clothing security in Indonesia," said Farhan in the Textile Discussion Club (TDC) at the STTT Polytechnic Campus in Bandung, Friday (25/8/2023).

According to him, the bill is like a double-edged sword. First, the bill must be able to ensure adequate clothing for the community. On the other hand, availability must also have a positive impact on the textile industry.

Drafting the Clothing Bill is a huge challenge because so far Indonesia has been very open to imports of textile products and raw materials. Then the regulation must provide positive stimulation to the textile industry.

Farhan explained, currently the discussion on the Clothing Bill has included the formation of a working committee (panja) involving the government and the Indonesian Parliament. A number of data have begun to be collected from TPT industry players. Input from associations, business actors, and related parties began to be collected.

From the incoming data, one of the problems in the TPT industry is the difficulty of obtaining capital from banks. This happened because the bank considered the industry to be in the vulnerable category with changes in policy.

Then the flood of imported goods for textile products and their derivatives made the Indonesian market flooded not only by domestic industries, but also foreign industries.

"Now the question is whether this regulation will be more likely to stimulate industrial strengthening or industry projections, that cannot be answered yet," he said.