Around 10,000 workers from Banten, grouped under the United Banten Workers Alliance (AB3), plan to stage a demonstration in front of the State Palace on Thursday, as confirmed by alliance presidium member Maman Nuriman.

“We demand the cancellation of the omnibus law or for the President to issue a Perppu [regulation in lieu of law] to revoke the omnibus law,” Maman told kompas.com on Thursday, echoing the demands of other protesters that have flooded the streets across the country since the law’s passing on Oct. 5.

Members of the Labor with the People Movement (Gebrak) and students from the National Association of University Student Executive Bodies (BEM SI) were also expected to join the AB3 in Thursday’s protest.

Gebrak spokesperson Sunarno said that aside from the protest in Jakarta, all elements of the labor movement, which includes large workers unions such as the Congress Alliance of Indonesian Labor Unions (KASBI), would also hold demonstrations in industrial areas.

“These rejections will continue until the omnibus law is revoked or canceled,” Sunarno said as quoted by tempo.co on Thursday.

Bagas Maropindra, BEM SI coordinator for Greater Jakarta and Banten, said the student association joined the protest to express their disappointment over President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo refusal to meet with student representatives.

In response to the plan, Central Jakarta traffic police have closed main roads in the area and the Jakarta Police have deployed 15,000 personnel to several spots in Central Jakarta, Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus said. 

The passage of the Job Creation Law– which critics have said could undermine labor rights and environmental protections – sparked waves of protests in the country, with the police noting that by Oct. 8, protests had occurred in all 34 provinces of the country. (mfp)