December 5, 2025 | 05:47 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Furniture and Craft Industry Association (HIMKI) is calling on the government to support the national furniture and crafts industry so it can survive and win in an increasingly competitive global market.
"We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for the same opportunity to compete in a no longer fair global market," said HIMKI Chairman Abdul Sobur when met by reporters after the HIMKI National Work Meeting at Alila Solo Hotel on Thursday, December 4, 2025.
According to Sobur, the furniture and crafts industry is a strategic sector of Indonesia's creative economy. It employs more than 2.1 million people and supports MSMEs in various regions. However, without strong policy support, Indonesia is said to be at risk of falling further behind competing countries.
Sobur said one of the major challenges facing the industry is implementing the European Union's green regulation, the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). He recognizes the necessity of the regulation but rejects it if the compliance burden is not evenly distributed and does not consider the conditions of MSMEs.
According to him, MSMEs should not be the victims of the green transition. The government must act as a facilitator, not a bystander.
Therefore, HIMKI is requesting that the government provide several forms of strategic support promptly. These supports include traceability services and single documentation equivalent to FSC standards, certification financing, special assistance for MSMEs, and harmonization of forestry regulations and wood legality to avoid adding bureaucratic layers.
Sobur believes that global competition is becoming increasingly imbalanced. China is experiencing overproduction, which triggers price wars, while Vietnam excels because it actively signs trade agreements with various countries.
According to Sobur, if there is no swift action, global buyers will leave Indonesia not because the products are of inferior quality, but because they are not competitive.
He emphasizes the need for policies that can strengthen Indonesia's position. This includes preferential export tariffs to major markets and enforcement of anti-dumping regulations to prevent unfair trade imports.
Sobur is optimistic because he believes that Indonesia's cultural assets will help it penetrate the global market. He believes Indonesia's creativity and craftsmanship are difficult for other countries to compete with.
"Design and craft are the DNA of this nation. We have stories, identities, and spirits recognized by the world," he said.
He said HIMKI is pushing for several strategic steps, including building a Center of Design Excellence to strengthen creative export products, developing global branding Made in Indonesia, and increasing collaboration between designers and industries in each region.
Sobur also highlights the importance of the logistics ecosystem in accelerating competitiveness. He believes that Patimban Port and Kertajati Airport should be optimized to serve as strategic export gateways, thereby reducing national logistics costs. "West Java is a production center. Its logistics should be an advantage, not a hindrance," he said.
HIMKI has proposed adding export-import services at Patimban to strengthen multimodal connectivity and provide incentives for exporters who use the national logistics hub.
The HIMKI national work meeting issued three strategic recommendations for the government. The first concerns multi-layered and measurable pro-industry and pro-export policies.
Second, improving competitiveness through technology, talent, and design. And third, global market expansion accompanied by national distribution consolidation.
With such support, HIMKI is optimistic that the US$6 billion export target in 2030 and US$10 billion in 2045 can be achieved. Sobur reasserts HIMKI's commitment to be a strategic partner of the government in strengthening the national industry.
Sobur emphasizes that the furniture and crafts industry is not just about exports, but also about industrial sovereignty, job creation, and the future of Indonesia's creative economy.
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