Finance Minister (Menkeu) Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa suspects that most secondhand imported goods flooding Indonesian markets originate from China and other developed countries. He explained that many of these products are not truly used items, but rather newly manufactured goods that failed to sell in their home markets. Based on several findings, a large portion of secondhand imports entering through Indonesian ports consists of unsold items that end up being brought into the country.

“Most likely they come from China and developed nations, but the nearly-new secondhand products mainly come from China,” Purbaya told reporters at the Ministry of Finance office in Jakarta, Friday (Nov 14, 2025).

He further suspected that neighboring countries like Singapore act as a hub, meaning its main port serves as a large-scale transshipment point for goods from various nations.

On the other hand, the former Deputy of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs doubted that these secondhand imports enter through small ports, commonly known as “pelabuhan tikus” (illegal small ports). He argued that vessels operating in such ports are typically small and have limited capacity. Moreover, logistics costs would be higher if the goods were transported through remote ports. He emphasized that these “illegal” goods usually arrive in large quantities and thus require container transport. For this reason, Purbaya suspects that major ports are the actual entry points for unsold imported goods from large countries.

“I suspect these secondhand imports do not come through small illegal ports, but through major ports,” Purbaya said.

For context, the government has prohibited the sale of imported secondhand clothing through existing regulations. Trade Minister (Mendag) Budi Santoso previously stressed that the sale of such “thrifting” goods has long been banned by law.

“Permendag has prohibited it since long ago, and so has the law. It has been banned for years,” he stated at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Wednesday (Nov 5, 2025).