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Omnibus bill protesters gear up for big rallies in March

A coalition of civil society organizations, major labor unions and student organizations is preparing for street rallies in March to protest against the omnibus bill on job creation

Ghina Ghaliya and Adrian Wail (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sat, February 29, 2020

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Omnibus bill protesters gear up for big rallies in March

A coalition of civil society organizations, major labor unions and student organizations is preparing for street rallies in March to protest against the omnibus bill on job creation.

The planned protest of the 1,028-page draft bill, released by the government on Feb. 12, comes following the withdrawal of some labor unions from a government-formed coordination team consisting of union, business and government representatives.

The unions refused to stay on the team as they want change in the draft bill before it is sent to the House of Representatives for deliberation. They also believe that the team was made solely to legitimize the bill.

Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto, however, stated that the draft from the government was final and the ball was in the House's court now.

Representatives from the Indonesian People’s Faction (FRI), which consists of student organizations, civil society organizations (CSOs) and labor unions that are protesting the bill, said during their visit to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that they saw little hope in lawmakers rejecting the bill. Ikhsan Raharjo, the secretary-general of Sindikasi, a union for media and creative workers, said the group felt it needed to take "extra-parliamentary" measures by taking to the streets in March.

Nine of the 14 unions represented on the team have left it. Among them are the three biggest unions in the country, namely the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI), the All-Indonesia Workers Union Confederation (KSPSI) and the Confederation of Indonesian Prosperity Trade Unions (KSBSI).

KSPI president Said Iqbal told the Post on Thursday that the unions would hold a major rally on March 23, the same day as the next House plenary session, under the Indonesian Labor Workers Council (MPBI), a labor alliance initiated in 2012 by the KSPI, the KSPSI and the KSBSI.

"Trade unions throughout Indonesia have united to reject the omnibus bill,” he said.

Also slated to participate in the rally are several other unions and more than 50 federations, which combined have more than 10 million members across 34 provinces. It is estimated that more than 100,000 workers will gather on the day.

Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister secretary Susiwijono said people should not refuse the bill based only on parts of it. He said the bill was not only about labor issues as it mostly addressed licensing, business, investment and small and medium enterprises.

The head of the University of Indonesia's student executive body, Fajar Adi Nugroho, told the Post that the university's students were also planning to stage a rally over the bill along with labor unions and civil society organizations, citing the bill’s nontransparent drafting process.

The Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, the Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers), the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), Sindikasi, women’s rights group Perempuan Mahardhika, Publish What You Pay Indonesia and the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) have also joined the alliance.

Ikhsan of Sindikasi said that the March protests could be bigger than the #ReformasiDikorupsi (ReformCorrupted) protests in September last year, when thousands of students led protests against revisions to the Corruption Eradication Commission Law and the Criminal Code.

He said students, unions and civil society organizations were banding together this time around because they found problems in the bill that went beyond labor issues. The rallies would protest against articles that they believe would harm the environment and democracy.

“We have consolidated with the others in Yogyakarta, and with academia and journalists.”

House Speaker Puan Maharani said the House would process the draft bill in the House’s next session.

The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician asserted that, as she did not want a public outcry surrounding the deliberation at the House, the government should be more active in promoting it to the public.

Puan called on the government to not rush the deliberation, referring to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's aim for a conclusion of deliberations within 100 days. “We can make it faster than 100 days if you want, but should we carry on if it ends up not benefitting the public? The point is not to rush."

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