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lthough the city was quiet on Friday, the situation remained volatile in Batam with Batam Mayor Ahmad Dahlan continuing to reject the demands of local workers seeking a much higher minimum wage, arguing that only the Riau Islands governor had the legal authority to increase the workers’ salaries.

Accompanied by the local Army and Navy chiefs, the mayor insisted he had done all he could in accordance with the law, by putting forward the three options as proposed by the workers, the employers and the local tripartite wage council. The workers demanded Rp 1,760,000 (US$200), the employers’ assocation proposed Rp 1,260,000, while the wage council suggested Rp 1,360,000.

“It is up to the governor to make the decision, and we will wholeheartedly support him,” said the mayor.

The workers ran amok because Ahmad refused to meet with their representatives. He denied he was not prepared to deal directly with the workers on Wednesday, saying he had to attend another meeting, which had been scheduled long before the strike.

“I was ready to meet with them on Thursday but on the condition that they guaranteed my safety. But they failed to meet my requirement. It would not be good if a mayor was hurt by the workers,” Ahmad added.

Meanwhile, many factories, shopping malls, government offices and banks ceased their operations on Friday in anticipation of the continuation of riots, which rocked Batam on Wednesday and Thursday. The police also revoked the permits it had issued to labor unions to hold demonstrations on Friday.

The Army deployed three platoons in several strategic positions, while the Navy sent one platoon to help the police in restoring public order.

“If the police need our help, we are ready to send many more personnel,” said Col. Iwan Isnurwanto, the chief of Batam Navy Base.

A number of industrial estates and ship dockyards also closed their gates to prevent public access, including the Tunas Industrial Estate in Batam Center, the Panbil Industrial Estate and Batamindo Industrial Estate, the Batamec Shipyard, the PT Drydock World Graha and the PT Jaya Shipyard.

“We are closing temporarily for preventive measures, but we will resume our operations on Monday,” said Rizaldi, chief security officer at the Batamec Shipyard.

Comr. Widodo, who is in charge of the island’s security, announced that police had arrested 27 protesters, only two of whom were still being detained on Friday.

“We want to intensify our investigation into this case, and we will no longer allow the workers to take to the streets,” Widodo said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Confederation of All-Indonesian Workers’ Unions (KSPSI), Saiful Badri, blamed the Batam mayor for the violence.

When asked what the union’s next move would be, Saiful only responded, “We will merely consolidate and wait for the government’s decision on the new minimum wage.”