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Gandhi, Machiavelli and the Omnibus Law
One of the criticisms against the omnibus law is that it will burden the people who are already suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Protestors disperse themselves as police personnel shoot out tear gas to following clashes that break out during protest against the Jobs Law in Gambir, Central Jakarta on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
O
n Oct. 2, the birthday of Gandhi (1869-1948), I was one of 10 people invited by IndoIndians, an “information bridge” for the Indian community in Indonesia, to share our thoughts on the Mahatma (Great Soul).
There are many things about Gandhi I admire, but he is most well-known for his use of nonviolence to achieve political and social change, even leading India to independence with this approach.
Little did I know that Gandhi’s nonviolence ethic, inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s civil disobedience, would be invoked by civil society groups a few days later in Indonesia after the passing of the controversial omnibus Job Creation Law on Oct. 5 (see “Problems in jobs law not only about labor sector: What we know so far”, The Jakarta Post, Oct. 9).
Despite the street demonstrations — by workers, students, activists — that rocked more than a dozen cities and which eventually turned violent, the majority of protests were indeed peacefully conducted by academics, religious leaders, political commentators, National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) members, artists and even several governors, through statements, commentaries, analysis and artistic expression.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo also suggested another peaceful protest: to file a judicial review with the Constitutional Court (MK). Excuse me, Pak Jokowi, you chose three of the justices out of the nine at the MK, three are from the House of Representatives and three from the Supreme Court (MA).
Furthermore, the House recently changed the law on the MK, giving justices much longer terms — they can stay until they are 70 years old. Do you really think they will rule against the hand that feeds them?
On Oct. 9, Jokowi gave a speech to address the protests levied against the omnibus law.
