Balita.org, UK
PEKALONGAN, C. JAVA, Nov. 6 — The Association of Indonesian Batik Cooperatives (GKBI) in Pekalongan, Central Java, urged the Trade Ministry to ban the coming of Chinese batik products to Indonesia to protect the domestic market products.
“So far, the Chinese batik penetration is not really significant. However, we are sure the import activity can endanger the domestic market,” Secretary of Indonesian Batik United Cooperatives (PPIP) in Pekalongan, Rofiqqurus said here on Wednesday.
Rofiqqurus also said to anticipate the Chinese batik products in Indonesia, GKBI in Pekalongan in the short future will suggest Trade Minister to stop the imported batik in Indonesia.
The entry of Chinese batik products in the domestic market, he said, does not really affect the income of national batik entrepreneurs because the penetration only reached about five percent.
“The government can take Malaysia`s policy as the example. Malaysia has successfully banned the import of Chinese batik,” he said.
“We regret the government`s policy that cannot stop the entry of Chinese batik while Malaysia can ban it,” Rofiqqurus added.
The entry of Chinese batik to Indonesia market is because the market`s mechanism can provide cheaper batik products than Indonesia`s batik products, he said.
“With the suggestion from GKBI in Pekalongan, we hope the government can change its policy to ban the coming of Chinese batik to Indonesia,” Rofiqqurus said. (PNA/Antara)
LBV/ebp
