TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan on Wednesday announced a crackdown against thrift shops that sell imported secondhand clothing after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo bemoaned thrifting as one of the driving factors that could harm local textile businesses. He also argues that such imported commodities are a health hazard.

One of the targeted areas for this crackdown will be the popular thrifting area in Central Jakarta, Pasar Senen.

“That Pasar Senen must be dealt with. It’s not about hampering business but [such practices] bring diseases that could potentially spread. That wouldn’t be good,” said the Minister at the State Palace on March 15.

He also claims that the used clothing import business has caused the state to lose billions of Rupiah and reduced export volumes. Hasan also urged members of the public to report on thrift shops that are still operating.

“I don’t know [thrifting hubs] but just give us the data as we need to deal with them,” he explained. "The only important thing is the report from the community. Of course, the community is harmed because the former is dangerous for fungus, can carry disease, both can destroy our MSMEs."

As previously reported, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo prohibited the business of imported used clothes amid the current popular thrift shopping or the practice of buying second-hand goods in society. Such a business, he opined, harmed the domestic textile industry.

“That disrupts the domestic textile industry. Imports on used clothes are disrupting [domestic textile industry],” said the President in Senayan, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, March 15.

He claimed to have instructed related institutions to track down such import businesses. According to the president, a number of business actors have been arrested to date.

“I ordered a thorough search, and one to two days afterward, many have been found,” Jokowi said.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH

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