Jakarta. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa’s tough stance against illegal thrift clothing imports has drawn strong backing from the Indonesian Textile Association (API), which says the move is crucial to protect local manufacturers, safeguard jobs, and revive industrial activity.

“With tighter supervision and strict enforcement, as seen in Minister Purbaya’s recent inspection, we fully support this initiative. It’s crucial not only to protect the domestic textile industry but also to sustain wider economic sectors such as national electricity consumption,” said Indonesian Textile Association (API) Chairman Jemmy Kartiwa Sastraatmadja on Sunday.

He stressed that importing used clothes is a long-banned practice under Trade Ministry Regulation No. 18/2021 and No. 40/2022 on prohibited exports and imports. Yet, he noted, enforcement has been weak. “The rule has been there for years. What we need now is firm and consistent supervision,” Jemmy said.

Indonesia’s textile and apparel sector, one of the country’s largest employers, especially for high school graduates, has seen its production slump due to cheap Chinese imports flooding the market amid the US–China trade war. The resulting dumping, he said, has squeezed local producers and even reduced industrial electricity consumption.

“China’s oversupply is spilling into markets worldwide, including Indonesia. This drags down our industry’s utilization rate and affects upstream sectors such as power demand,” Jemmy added.

He urged authorities to ensure consistent law enforcement against illegal clothing imports, arguing it could spark a revival of the domestic textile industry, create new jobs, and lift economic stability in the real sector.

The remarks came after Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa declared “war” on illegal import practices, including in the textile sector. He said a new finance minister regulation (PMK) is being drafted to further curb secondhand clothing imports.

Last Friday, Purbaya led an impromptu inspection at a bonded logistics center in Cikarang, West Java, to ensure customs oversight on illegal imports is being carried out effectively.