Terminated Work Contract 1,040 Village Companion Who Was Nyaleg, Mendes Reported To The Ombudsman

JAKARTA - Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Mendes PDT) Yandri Susanto was reported to the Indonesian Ombudsman by village assistants. Yandri was reported for not extending the work contract of 1,040 professional assistants (TPP) or village assistants.

Representative of village assistant, Hendriyatna said the report was submitted by the Ombudsman on suspicion of maladministration by the Ministry of Villages because it terminated the work contract of the village assistant in 2025 just because he had been a legislative candidate (caleg).

"Especially for those of us who have experienced or have run for legislative members, we are even questioned. Even though the legislative candidacy is the past and this is a work contract from January 2025 to December 2025," said Hendri at the Ombudsman office. RI, South Jakarta, Wednesday, March 5.

In fact, according to Hendri, the previous period of the Village Minister did not prohibit village assistants who wanted to leave the 2024 General Election from resigning from their jobs.

Then the General Election Commission (KPU) of the Republic of Indonesia has also issued a circular stating that legislative candidates who work as TPP are not required to resign or take leave from their jobs.

However, in January 2025, the BPSDM of the Ministry of Villages PDT issued a Work Order (SPK) in which there was an attachment of a statement that had to be signed by the TPP, with a narrative ready to be unilaterally dismissed if it was proven that he had run for legislative candidate.

Hendri said that the pretext of the Ministry of Villages of PDT assessed that the TPP had violated Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections (Pemilu).

"In this case, of course, we feel that this is an act of discrimination and actions like or dislike, so whether we like it or not, and obviously we are marginalized here by the Ministry of Villages," said Hendri.

In addition to the Ombudsman, village assistants whose work contracts have been terminated will also report this issue to Komnas HAM and hope to get the attention of President Prabowo Subianto.

"We have held an audience with Commission V, namely in the DPR RI with the Deputy Chair, and we also plan to report this and ask for an audience with KSP so that our problem can be quickly heard by Mr. President Prabowo Subiarto," said Hendri.

"Our hope is that as village assistants throughout Indonesia because we are workers. Moreover, this is facing the holy month of Ramadan, facing Eid, we want to be re-employed," he added.

Continuing, RI Ombudsman member Robert Na Endi Jaweng revealed that his party would process reports of alleged maladministration by the Ministry of Villages PDT by village assistants. The Ombudsman will also summon the reported party, including Mendes PDT Yandri Susanto.

"The examination will later call the parties, we have not mapped who, but from the report, it means that the reported party is the Minister of Villages and maybe other parties and at the excavation of various information, various clarifications and summons later, will lead to the issuance of the report on the results of the examination," said Robert.