Domestic textile producers welcome the e-commerce platform (e-commerce) which has begun to limit the entry of fashion products through cross-border transactions.

So far, Shopee and Lazada Indonesia have implemented the policy by removing merchant accounts based overseas from their platforms.

“If you want to strengthen small and medium industries, the roots must be strengthened first. That's why we support the policy of e-commerce players who close the entry of products from abroad. Foreign products, especially from China, are very cheap," said Chairman of the Indonesian Textile Association (API) Jemmy Kartiwa Sastraatmadja.

Jemmy said the cheap products hit the textile industry activities in the country, especially the small and medium scale ones. The entry of imported products, he said, was also exacerbated by the PPKM situation because local product sellers could only market them online.

"So we ask that IKM products such as headscarves and robes are protected. We need fair trade with an equal level of competition," he said.

Nandi Herdiaman, the Chairperson of the Indonesian Organization for Working Confection Entrepreneurs (IPKB), a confessional group in West Java, agreed. He said more than 40 percent of convection businessmen in Greater Bandung have stopped production due to a loss of market. One of the reasons is the presence of similar imported products which are much cheaper.

“It is indeed difficult for us because the production cost alone has reached Rp. 20,000 per piece [of the veil], while imports are much cheaper. How are we going to move forward. At least it needs protection in the domestic market," he said.

Previously, the Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki explained that the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs was sharpening policies related to PMSE. One of them is minimizing threats to MSMEs and domestic industry from unfair trade practices, prioritizing domestic products and traders, developing MSME business access with the digital economy, and protecting consumers from foreign traders and products.

"The occurrence of unhealthy trade practices through the cross-border system on e-commerce platforms that threatens the survival of MSMEs in the country is the main concern that has been assigned to me to be resolved so as not to harm local MSMEs," said Teten.