The rattan rip-off

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 12/31/2005 5:23 PM | Opinion

I have read a lot of news about workers who have lost their jobs in the wake of the increase of fuel prices on Oct. 1. Most workers who have been laid off are from the fisheries, handicraft, textile and rattan industries.

In Cirebon alone, about 40,000 rattan workers have lost their jobs. More than 90 medium and large-sized rattan companies have closed down, according to The Jakarta Post, Nov. 18.

The rattan businesses were unable to bear rising production costs. Another obstacle was the trade ministry's decree No. 12/2005, which authorizes exports of unprocessed rattan.

This decree helps rattan industry abroad, like those in China and Vietnam, which are able to meet demand for raw materials by importing unprocessed rattan from Indonesia. After the materials are exported, raw materials have become scarce in Indonesia.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited Cirebon in September and rattan workers presented him a large rattan chair and showed him their work. However, the government has done nothing since that time.

If the government really cares about the welfare of the people, it should revoke the decree to help revive the local rattan industry. Isn't the government supposed to create job opportunities?

Our rattan products are of superior quality. It is an irony that we export unprocessed rattan to China so it can produce cheaper, lower quality products, which end up putting our industry out of business and our workers out of jobs.

BUDI NAWA S., Tanjungbalai, North Sumatra

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