Shopee "Not Forced" to Ban 13 Foreign Goods

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Shopee Indonesia agreed with Cooperative and SMEs Minister Teten Masduki to prohibit the sales of foreign products from 13 categories. Both the ministry and the marketplace said that there was no "coercion" behind the decision.

"It is indeed not forced," said the minister in an online conference with Shopee on Tuesday, May 18.

According to Teten, the ban is a kind of mutual agreement between the ministry and shopee as an effort to champion local SMEs producing products from the 13 categories. He is optimistic that the ban would not negatively affect Shopee's business.

The 13 products are hijab or hadscarf, Muslim women' tops, Muslim women's bottoms, Muslim men's tops, Muslim men's bottoms, muslim outerwear, praying clothes, muslimwear, children's muslimwear, prayer tools, batik, and kebaya.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of Shopee Indonesia Handika Wighuna Jahja said the deal was a collaboration between the two parties. "I can assure you that no one was forced to [ban tbe products]," he said.

He added that the policy is part of Shopee's strategy to increase the competitiveness of local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) both in the domestic and international markets.

Teten Masduki said the ban will help to safe the potential value of Rp300 trillion per year of Indonesian SMEs. This number include the muslim fashion industry that reach Rp280 trillion per year and the batik industry value of Rp4.89 trillion.

Read: Stop Buying Global Brands, Buy Local Products: Minister

FAJAR PEBRIANTO | RR