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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia’s Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Maman Abdurrahman, has issued an apology for his recent comments about producing imitation or counterfeit goods, particularly designer bags, which sparked widespread public criticism.“I personally apologize. As a minister, I must fairly admit that there was a mistake in my statement during the recent visit,” Maman said on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at his office.Maman explained that his comments were intended to encourage MSMEs to learn from the strategies of large brands, rather than simply copy them.“Essentially, it’s about observing, providing, or creating products inspired by successful examples, considering aspects such as packaging, public interest, and quality, then analyzing and adapting them,” he said.Despite his intentions to support MSME development, Maman’s remarks went viral, particularly because he referenced major brands such as Louis Vuitton and Dior.“I accept public criticism and view it as part of a public participation process we need to listen to,” he added.The comments were made in response to the influx of imported counterfeit goods, which were suspected of affecting sales at the Tajur Bogor bag center.On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at ICE BSD, South Tangerang, Maman suggested that MSME could produce imitation designer bags as a way to compete.“At that time, I saw nothing wrong with producing imitation goods. I believe it would not provoke protests from patent holders,” he said, citing an example: “There’s a Louis Vuitton model, and now we create one called Louis Vutong.”The Golkar politician expressed optimism about securing approval from the Ministry of Law to issue intellectual property rights for imitation designer bags, arguing that the initiative aims to benefit MSMEs.Maman also addressed concerns about the potential impact on branded goods manufacturers.“That’s their business, not ours,” he said, emphasizing that producing imitation products could create job opportunities. “We need to change our mindset. Let’s not always be the ones who suffer,” he added.Alfitria Nefi contributed to the writing of this article.Editor’s Choice: Minister Proposes MSMEs Produce Counterfeit Branded Bags to Combat ImportsClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
