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Striking judges look to Prabowo, new House in fight for better pay
As judges continued their five-day nationwide strike until Friday, the president-elect vowed to "pay attention" to judicial welfare, including salaries, once he assumed the presidency later this month.
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House of Representatives lawmakers (rear) meet on Oct. 8, 2024 with representatives of Solidaritas Hakim Indonesia (Indonesian Judges Solidarity) at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta, where the group presented their aspirations regarding judges' welfare. (Antara/Dhemas Reviyanto)
P
resident-elect Prabowo Subianto has promised to pay attention to the welfare of the country’s judges as hundreds began a weeklong strike on Monday to demand higher salaries.
Scores of judges across the country, grouped in the Solidaritas Hakim Indonesia (SHI; Indonesian Judges Solidarity) movement, took mass leave for five days until Friday to draw policymakers’ attention to the fact that their wages had been unchanged for 12 years.
Many regional SHI members staged local protests over the past few days, while others traveled to Jakarta and met with the Supreme Court, officials of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration as well as lawmakers of the newly installed House of Representatives, including those from Prabowo’s Gerindra Party.
During a meeting with the House on Tuesday, the group’s representatives received assurance from the incoming president, who attended via a phone call to House Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad of Gerindra.
“To curb corruption in the country, judges should be immune to bribery. The state must provide them with sufficient income so that they can maintain their dignity and do not need to seek additional income. That’s my commitment,” Prabowo said during the call, which was broadcast using a speaker.
“Be patient, I will pay attention to judges once I assume office,” he added.
The striking judges are demanding a revision to a 2012 government regulation on the judiciary’s financial rights to include annual salary adjustments.
