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PDI-P, Golkar targets of jobs law ire: Study
“Leadership is evaluated only through elections,” the PDI-P’s secretary-general claimed.
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Protestors disperse as police officers shoot tear gas during a protest against the Job Creation Law in Gambir, Central Jakarta, on Oct. 13. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
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ublic anger triggered by the passage of the controversial Job Creation Law has been targeted at two ruling parties, namely the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Golkar Party, according to a recent study by the Institute of Research, Education and Information for Social and Economic Affairs (LP3ES).
The study used “conversation mapping” to analyze jobs law discourse from Oct. 3 to Oct. 13, LP3ES associate Tomi Satryatomo said. Within the study’s timeframe, the weekend deliberation of the then-omnibus bill, the House of Representatives plenary session for the bill’s endorsement and the handover of the final draft of the law from the House to the government took place.
“The public has expressed extraordinary anger, surprise and disbelief toward both Golkar and the PDI-P,” he said during a press conference on Sunday.
The LP3ES analyzed Twitter conversations and 400 online news sites, both national and local, whose subjects included the jobs law, the PDI-P, Golkar, the Democratic Party and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
Tomi said Golkar, the party with the second-highest number of seats in the House, had been the target of more public anger than the PDI-P.
The ire was also related to an incident involving House Speaker Puan Maharani, who allegedly muted a lawmaker from the Democratic Party during the plenary session where the bill was passed into law on Oct. 5.
The study found that the Democratic Party and the PKS were discussed in a positive light, along with the public opposition to the controversial law.
“The Democratic Party has the highest favorability and great popularity. The PKS, however, is the most popular, but its favorability is below that of the Dems,” Tomi added.
Read also: Jobs law, week 2: Critics slam President's response, unions seek legal avenues
Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto, who is also the chairman of the Golkar Party, claimed that the lawmaking process was in accordance with procedures and both the legislator and executive had taken public opinion into consideration. He said critics could challenge the newly passed law at the Constitutional Court.
He added that the public could also hold rallies, as guaranteed in the 1945 Constitution, but noted that people needed to pay attention to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto claimed the public anger had been “provoked” by politically motivated factions.
"To those who are so ambitious in facing the power of the government, don’t provoke the public. Use the gentlemen’s method by mobilizing the people and competing fairly for the upcoming elections,” he said in a written statement referring to the simultaneous regional elections set to take place in 270 regions in December.
“We should give space for Pak Jokowi and Ma'ruf Amin to carry out their duties to the nation. Leadership is evaluated only through elections, including that of political parties,” Hasto claimed.
