Social security committee optimistic bill will pass

The head of the social security and insurance bill (BPJS) working committee, Ahmad Nizar Shihab, said he was optimistic that the bill would be passed in 2011 because President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had instructed Vice President Boediono to coordinate the deliberations.

According to Nizar, Boediono possessed the authority to coordinate discussions on the bill.

“This way, a consensus on the policy-making could be reached faster,” he said on Friday.

He added that the government has agreed to merge four state-owned insurers, PT Jamsostek, PT Taspen, PT Askes and PT Asabri, in several phases, especially in the field of health insurance.

He further said that the government would prepare the necessary infrastructure for the four state-owned insurers to merge and change the legal status to a corporate body.

“The principles for merger have been established. The principles, including no lay-offs, have been agreed upon,” he added as reported by kompas.com.