Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati revealed that the Indonesian government is currently devising regulations on the imposition of anti-dumping import duties (BMAD) and safeguard measures import duties (BMTP) to protect the national textile industry. According to her, to formulate the regulations, the Finance Ministry is coordinating with the Industry Ministry and Trade Ministry.
“We are awaiting letters from the ministers of trade and industry before taking measures directed at (imported) textile products, garments, footwear, electronics, ceramics, and bags,” she informed at a press conference that was followed online from Jakarta recently.
The state treasurer disclosed that one of the measures could take the form of stipulation of import duties for the products mentioned. “Our main objective is to provide continued and reasonable protection to the domestic industry from unfair competition resulting from imports,” she added.
Meanwhile, head of the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Agency (BKF), Febrio Kacaribu, highlighted that the government has been implementing fiscal instruments that align with the World Trade Organization’s Anti-Dumping Agreement and Agreement on Safeguards as well as Government Regulation No. 34 of 2011. He said that the government has been repeatedly imposing BMAD on polyester fiber apparel since 2010. Kacaribu added that Indonesia will also continue to impose BMTP on imported thread products and curtains until May 2026.
The official further said that his side has been collaborating with the relevant ministries and agencies to monitor and anticipate the potential for a glut of imported textile products entering the domestic market.
He explained that the collaboration is aimed at ensuring that fiscal policies remain relevant to the protection of the domestic industry and are instrumental in boosting the industry’s competitiveness.
Earlier, on June 25, 2024, President Joko Widodo held a limited meeting with several ministers in response to the shuttering of several domestic textile businesses.
During the meeting, the President disclosed that the government is mulling over re-enacting Trade Minister’s Regulation No. 8 of 2024 amending Trade Minister’s Regulation No. 36 of 2023 regarding import policies and regulations.
Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita has proposed the re-enactment of the regulation as he believes that such a measure could help suppress the waves of layoffs in the textile industry.