Small and medium enterprises engaged in the textile economy in Indonesia are still in a very bad condition due to the Covid-19 pandemic.This condition is also experienced by many entrepreneurs in Bandung Regency. This was conveyed by the Supervisory Board for the Empowerment of Small and Medium Enterprises (UKM), the National Governing Body of the Indonesian Textile Association (BPN API), H. Agus Ruslan.

"There have been many textile factories producing sarongs that have stopped operating. Even if there are those that are still operational, they will not run optimally. When we conduct an evaluation, currently the SMEs are in a very bad condition," said Agus.

He said that even a textile factory that is still operational only employs its employees three days a week.

"This means that from an economic point of view, the textile factory business actors are already below standard, or in vulnerable conditions," he said.

This vulnerable condition, added Agus, was that a number of factories were no longer operational due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Usually two to three months to face Eid al-Fitr, the market demand for sarong needs increases.

"However, there is currently no realization that leads to a transaction to extend the working hours of a textile factory. Usually, two to three months before Lebaran, many people order sarongs, now there are none," he said.

Agus assessed that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the economy in the textile sector was not good and weak because it was below standard.

"Previously, there was a discourse on ordering 100,000 sarongs from the government, but the realization was only 5000 scores and after that there were no more orders," he said.

As an indigenous businessman in Majalaya, he hopes that there will be attention from the government to improve the economy in marketing textile products, including sarongs at standard prices.

"The current condition of UKM has been socialized with the Minister of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta. There have been discussions with the government, but until now there have been no new developments," he said.

Furthermore, he revealed, the textile factories that are currently still operational, of the 30 existing machines and only 8 are running. Then from 46 machines, while the road is 15 engines.

"Even now, out of 215 textile factories owned by indigenous entrepreneurs in Bandung Regency, especially in the Majalaya and surrounding areas, the ones that still survive are below 50 percent," he explained.

"Even the sarong factory, which produces 20,000 scores per week, is now closed, although previously it had exported sarongs to Malaysia, Africa and other countries," he explained.

He ensured that the Covid-19 pandemic had a huge impact on the continuity of textiles. Exports of goods are no longer promising either.

"Currently, business actors are plagued by confusion. Of the existing 360 SMEs, only 56 are left after traveling for the last 20 years," he added.

"Of the 56 SMEs, 47 are still running, sometimes the products stop first. Even if they run, only 8-10 machines are operational with a working time of 3 days per week," he concluded.