House of Representatives Pushes Ministry of Industry to Establish Textile Directorate
Member of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Muhammad Hatta, expressed concerns about the state of the textile industry in Indonesia. He highlighted the bankruptcy of Sritex as a sign that the government needs to pay more attention to the domestic textile industry.
“Sritex alone employed 50,000 people. Multiply that by four, and you’re looking at around 200,000 people indirectly supported by the factory, not to mention the domino effect on MSMEs and other areas,” Hatta stated during a working meeting between Commission VII of the DPR RI and the Minister of Industry at Nusantara Building I, DPR RI, Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday (12/11/2024).
The legislator from Central Java’s fifth electoral district proposed the establishment of a dedicated Directorate General (Ditjen) for textiles within the Ministry of Industry. Currently, the textile sector is integrated within the Directorate General of Chemical, Pharmaceutical, and Textile Industries (Ditjen IKFT).
“This is no longer an industry that can be treated as just any other sector. It requires specialized attention as it is labor-intensive,” he added.
“We need a Directorate General that specifically focuses on this. If you look at some countries, especially in textiles, they even have a dedicated Ministry of Textiles, like in India. This shows that it’s not just any industry – it requires a unique focus because it’s labor-intensive,” he continued.
The PAN party politician urged the government to address these issues seriously, noting that the textile industry is one of the largest sources of local revenue (PAD) in many regions. If the textile industry declines, Hatta warned, the ripple effects could be severe, impacting regional and even national economies.
“In Central Java, 68 percent of PAD comes from textiles. Just imagine if it’s not taken seriously. As I’ve mentioned, we should be strengthening and maximizing this industry,” he concluded.
This article discusses the urgent call for the Indonesian government to support the textile industry by establishing a dedicated Directorate General within the Ministry of Industry, as suggested by DPR member Muhammad Hatta, due to the industry’s significant impact on local economies.
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