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House to complete deliberation of controversial omnibus bill on job creation by September
Labor groups initially planned to hold a massive protest in front of the House compound on Friday.
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Thousands of protesters pack the area in front of the House of Representatives compound in Jakarta on July 16. They urged lawmakers to stop the deliberation of the omnibus bill on job creation. JP/Wendra Ajistyatama (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
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awmakers are speeding up the deliberation of the controversial omnibus bill on job creation as they aim to complete it by September for endorsement amid mounting protests over the bill’s contentious provisions.
House Legislation Body (Baleg) member Hendrawan Supratikno said lawmakers had deliberated 75 percent of the bill. They had settled 6,200 out of the 8,000 problem inventory list (DIM) items of the bill.
“We could complete it by the end of September and [the bill] can be endorsed before the next recess on Oct. 9,” he told reporters on Friday, adding that the House and the government would discuss up to 100 points of the DIM every day.
House Speaker Puan Maharani also said the House would continue to deliberate the omnibus bill on job creation with a careful approach.
The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician previously urged lawmakers not to rush deliberations, citing objections from several labor unions over contentious articles and that a hasty deliberation would only disadvantage the people.
"The House will continue the deliberations thoroughly, carefully and transparently," she said in her speech at the annual joint meeting at the House compound on Friday before President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and other state officials on Friday.
Amid mounting public outcry, lawmakers had included the bill on this year’s priority list.
Read also: House keeps problematic bills in Prolegnas, aiming to pass them by October
Puan expressed hope that the House could finish deliberations, without specifying a deadline.
"We'll pay attention to the country's needs and priorities,” she added.
Jokowi appeared to respond to criticism over how his government had opted to press ahead with the deliberation of a number of controversial bills, including the omnibus bill, saying in his state of the nation address on Friday that "all policies must focus on environmental friendliness and promote the protection of human rights."
