Parties boost T-shirt business ahead of 2004 elections

Parties boost T-shirt business ahead of 2004 elections

Yuli Tri Suwarni
The Jakarta Post
Bandung

Workers of the Rovolin T-shirt factory in Sadang Serang, Bandung,
have been working long, hard hours for one month now in order to
meet large orders from political parties as the 2004 general
elections nears.

Similarly, the owner of Rovolin, J. Lumban Gaol, was busy,
answering phone calls from his many clients and occasionally
receiving party officials at his humble kiosk on Jl. Suci in
downtown Bandung.

Gaol's T-shirt kiosk is not the only one on the street that is
struggling to meet orders for campaign souvenirs and
paraphernalia from political parties.

There are hundreds of other kiosks along Jl. Suci that have
accepted orders for T-shirts, caps, jackets, vests and other
products from political parties, and as with Rovoli, are running
against time to meet them.

As many T-shirt makers line Jl. Suci, it is known among locals
as the T-shirt center.

Gaol said the parties had ordered mostly T-shirts and caps
from his kiosk, and he received the first order seven months ago.

"At that time, the quantity ordered was still in the hundreds.
But now, I have received orders for a total of 4 million caps,
2.5 million T-shirts and 4,000 jackets," he said.

Orders have come in from at least 15 political parties
nationwide contesting the 2004 general elections. The largest
bulk orders have come from the two largest parties -- the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the
Golkar Party.

While most of the orders came in from Jakarta, they also came
in from as far away as Sangihe-Talaud in North Sulawesi,
Prabumulih in South Sulawesi, Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan
and several cities in East Kalimantan.

Among the Jl. Suci entrepreneurs, Rovolin is known to cater
especially to political parties, which order party paraphernalia
in large quantities.

Gaol adjusts his prices according to the materials requested
and the volume of the order -- the greater the volume, the lower
the price.

His workers produce an average of 2,000 T-shirts a day, and if
the order is excessively large and made at short notice, he
shares the task among neighboring kiosks.

"Pricing and delivery are the two key factors that determine
our competitiveness," he said.

As with any business deal, party caretakers do not simply
sidle up to the kiosk to place an order -- Gaol and others must
participate in a small tender to win the account, submitting
price lists and sample products before the tender.

In contrast to Gaol, Nanan Nasution, the owner of nearby
Andessta kiosk, said he was not interested taking orders from
political parties, because it was too risky for a meager profit.
"We can only make a profit of Rp 500 per T-shirt, and that's not
including the delivery fee," he said.

Nanan had only accepted orders for around 1,000 T-shirts and
80 jackets from Golkar Party leaders in Bandung and Makassar.

Gaol concurred that the profit he made from party orders was
small.

"In fact, I only make a profit of 4 percent of the price, far
lower than the profit I make from regular orders, which could
reach 15 percent," he said.

As for business risks, he also agreed with Nanan. Gaol has
taken orders from political parties since 1992, and he recalled
that many political parties had cheated him.

"They didn't pay for what they had ordered, and eventually we
sold the T-shirts at the roadside. That's why we're a bit strict
now. We require a down payment first, then we'll start to work."

He also said dishonest practices was common among corrupt
party officials, who would ask for an extra receipt: "They would
retain one, mark up the price of the other blank receipt, and
it's this one that they submit to their parties."

Despite the risks and small returns, Gaol continues with his
business. "The profit per piece is chickenfeed. But in large
quantities, the economy of scale allows us to reap huge profits."