Editorial: Street power

Jakarta’s road users crane their necks to look at the road before every trip. Is it going to rain? Is rush hour over? Is there a demonstration? The latter worsens already horrendous daily traffic.

On Friday commuters to the east of Jakarta found themselves stuck, owing to a labor action in Bekasi, West Java. The rally ended with an agreement between the workers and the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) to increase the monthly minimum wage in the regency to just below that proposed by the provincial administration.

The decision came despite a ruling by the West Java Administrative Court that upheld Apindo’s request to roll back a 16 percent increase in the minimum wage approved by the West Java administration.

The employers group said that the province disregarded a suggested 10 percent increase approved by the National Wage Council.

Ending the dispute — which was over a difference of barely 20 US cents per worker per month — may have the positive effect of preventing more strikes and inconveniences on the streets.

Under the agreement, industrial workers, for instance, will soon get Rp 1,715,000 a month, only Rp 1,000 less than the wage proposed by West Java. However, the demonstrations send a clear message.

Legal uncertainty is increasing in the country, and anyone who can mobilize street power to a dramatic level will win the battle.

Witness the very next day, when the West Java admi-nistration issued a decree for a new minimum wage for the Bekasi regency.

Another clear case is that of the riots in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said Thursday that Bima’s Regent Ferry Zulkarnain had revoked the mining permit of a local firm.

Meanwhile, Ferry stuck to his decision on PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara, a joint venture with Australia’s publicly listed ARC Exploration Ltd., even after Jero ordered him to revoke the permit.

On Thursday a crowd of 7,000 rioted, razing Ferry’s office and the headquarters of the local elections commission. Jero said that the permit issuance did not involve the local legislative council, a revelation that angered locals.

Whatever the details, the question remains: What next? What other business will have to close down in the face of pressure such as that applied by Bima’s regent? Will Jero resort to similar orders to have permits revoked in future instances?

Street power is the main answer these days, with people disregarding their democratic right of bringing grievances to their elected representatives.

However, with every major political party embroiled in scandals, it is no surprise that people are loathe to go to the Regional Representatives Council (DPRD) or the House of Representatives to resolve problems. The House even installed a high fence, which was recently torn down by protesters.

“People power” has a heroic ring to it, symbolizing the power of the man or woman on the street. But without functioning political communication that can channel grievances to elected representatives, popular pressure also brings misery to other men and women on the street — either due to loss of trust of investors, or loss of time and energy stuck in traffic.