Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta.  Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi reiterated his stance to ban the Chinese e-commerce platform Temu from entering Indonesia to protect local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“We won’t allow it. Our MSMEs will suffer if we let it in,” he said on Tuesday (1/101/2024).

Minister Budi Arie said that Temu’s entry could harm the local MSME ecosystem, as the digital space should benefit domestic businesses. The platform, which operates on a Factory-to-Consumer model, allows direct sales from manufacturers to consumers, potentially undermining local industries and jobs.

“Digital platforms should make people productive and profitable. If it harms them, what’s the point?” he added, as quoted by antaranews.com.

Bhima Yudhistira, Executive Director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), warned that Temu’s presence could further turn Indonesia into a market for foreign goods, risking local businesses and jobs.

The Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs echoed this, emphasizing the need for Temu to comply with regulations, including the revised Trade Ministry Regulation No. 31/2023, which restricts certain cross-border sales.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)