Fajarasia.id – Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives’ Public Aspirations Body (BAM), Adian Napitupulu, reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to ensuring that the voices of thrifting entrepreneurs are taken seriously in the government’s policymaking process. His statement came during a Public Hearing (RDPU) with secondhand clothing traders from Jakarta, Lampung, Bandung, Papua, Jambi, and Yogyakarta, held at the BAM meeting room in the parliamentary complex, Senayan.
Adian stressed that BAM DPR RI aims to listen directly to conditions on the ground, particularly as renewed discussions on banning imported secondhand clothing have sparked widespread concern among traders. He cited data showing that thrifting imports account for only about 3,600 containers, or 0.5 percent of the 28,000 illegal textile containers circulating in Indonesia. “This proves thrifting is not the main threat to the sustainability of MSMEs,” he explained.
According to Adian, state policies must be based on accurate data rather than stigma or perception. He noted that thrifting issues resurface every year, yet responses have lacked a comprehensive approach and failed to recognize that millions of Indonesians depend on the sector for their livelihoods. “The state must not only act but also deliver justice. Decisions should not burden small traders when the government itself has yet to provide sufficient jobs,” he said.
Adian also highlighted complaints from traders about enforcement operations they considered repressive and harmful, leaving them treated like criminals. He insisted that before taking punitive measures, the government must first present concrete, implementable solutions.
During the forum, traders shared testimonies illustrating the complexity of the situation. Rifai Silalahi, representing vendors from Pasar Senen, Jakarta, emphasized that secondhand clothing businesses have long been part of Indonesia’s MSME ecosystem. He argued that thrifting does not undermine local products. “The real problem is the flood of new imports. China controls 80 percent of the market, with the U.S., Vietnam, and India contributing another 15 percent. Local products are left with only 5 percent,” Rifai explained.
In response, Adian pledged that BAM DPR RI will follow up on these inputs by organizing further dialogue with relevant ministries, particularly the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Trade. He stressed that resolving the thrifting issue requires all stakeholders to sit together and examine the matter holistically, including economic, social, and livelihood aspects.****
