Dream - Less than a week after TikTok Shop resumed operations in Indonesia, this Chinese-based platform company has already faced criticism from the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs. The ministry, under Minister Teten Masduki, has highlighted the business model that TikTok Shop has been implementing since its return on December 12, 2023, which still conducts transactions similar to social media, TikTok.

The opening of TikTok Shop also coincides with National Online Shopping Day (Harbolnas) on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 through the Buy Local program. Special Staff of the Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs in the Creative Economy Empowerment Field, Fiki Satari, reminded TikTok to comply with government regulations not to integrate social media with e-commerce through the TikTok Shop feature.

"So if there is a need for socialization and adaptation space, we understand it very well. Maybe in a technological journey there will be a trial version like User Acceptance Test (UAT) to test performance, functionality, and security, but if it is still in the trial stage, it should only be internal, not to be thrown to the public. This is what we want to mitigate," he explained.

KemenKopUKM will coordinate with the Ministry of Trade as well as the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) as the parties that have authority in mitigating various issues. This aims to protect the sustainability of local SMEs. "MenKopUKM always conveys the interests of KemenKopUKM in this case the Government, in the context of protecting local SMEs, especially SME producers. Moreover, SMEs are providers of 97 percent of employment opportunities in the homeland," concluded Fiki Satari.