Holiday Ayo - Businessmen's associations complained about business conditions after a boycott of products suspected of being affiliated with Israel was announced.

This step is projected to have an impact on the company's business operations. As a result, they asked for government help. 

It turns out that the call for a boycott has eroded a business's income by 30 percent to 50 percent, and if it lasts for a long time, it is estimated that it will lead to a wave of layoffs (PHK). 

General Chair of the Indonesian Global Brand Retail Entrepreneurs Association (Apregindo), Handaka Santosa, said that the impact of this boycott call on the food and beverage (F&B) or restaurant sector had reduced revenues by up to 30 percent. 

“This has been felt to the point that sales have fallen by 30 percent. This is really putting pressure on entrepreneurs, and of course also employees," said Handaka, quoted from tribunnews.com, Saturday (18/11). 

According to him, boycotting restaurants and products operating in Indonesia is inappropriate, because so far none of them are affiliated with Israel. 

In fact, said Handaka, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has never issued a list of products that are prohibited from purchasing by Muslims. 

“We only bought a license, but all the food ingredients, production and employees are all Indonesian. So this needs to be analyzed and reviewed the call for a boycott," he explained. 

Therefore, Handaka also hopes that the government can help entrepreneurs affected by the boycott of Israeli products in order to save domestic workers. 

Apart from that, domestic consumption has been the biggest contributor to the national economy, and if it is disrupted it will have an impact on Indonesia's economic growth rate. 

“The government must speak the truth, we are all domestic, from the products to the workforce. If this goes on for a long time (boycott action), ordinary restaurants rented in malls will close because their sales cannot pay the rent and ultimately employees will be affected," he explained.