Reforms Happened The Last Time The Government And DPR Betrayed The People

The mass movement of workers in Tangerang (Source: Special)

JAKARTA - The government and the DPR's ratification of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation triggered a wave of protests. Apart from the discussions that were being rushed in the middle of the pandemic, the Job Creation Bill was also considered not to represent the interests of the people. Now, the resistance ripples started moving. The government must remember, the last time the people were pressed, reform took place.

Deputy Head of the National Executive Walhi's Advocacy Department, Edo Rakhman, said the Job Creation Bill was a major disruption to the basic life of citizens. And in Edo's eyes, it is not impossible that this situation will trigger the reform of volume II. Edo is not just talking. There are a number of similarities between the present and the past, both socially and economically.

Before the reforms broke out, Indonesia was hit by an economic crisis, falling into the brink of the worst recession in mid-1997-1998. At that time, Indonesia's economic growth was minus for six months in 1997 and continued until the first nine months of 1998. It was so bad that the government had to ask for assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in October 1997. Although it was recently known that this assistance was not enough to help Indonesia.

Today too. The Job Creation Bill was passed when Indonesia was in the middle of a recession. Since early October, the Head of the Fiscal Policy Agency (BKF) Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu) Febrio Kacaribu has announced a recession. Indonesia's economy experienced minus up to 5.32 percent in the second quarter of 2020. Previously, in the first quarter, minus Indonesia's GDP was at 2.97 percent.

Photo illustration (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

The economic crisis has an impact on social aspects. The sharp increase in the number of layoffs created a wave of unemployment and sparked mass unrest. In 1998, the unemployment rate reached 5.8 million. That number is an increase of 1.4 million compared to 1997: 4.4 million people. Indonesia, in February 2020 recorded an unemployment rate of up to 6.88 million. The pandemic has made matters worse, netting 3.7 million people in a wave of layoffs in the count up to August 2020. That way, there are around 10.58 million unemployed in Indonesia. The number is predicted to continue to increase along with the decline in handling the pandemic.

With all the conditions, Edo said, taking to the streets was perhaps an option. Even though it is a difficult choice in the middle of a pandemic. But, in his eyes, this was again the sin of the authorities, which put the people in this great dilemma. "Regarding taking to the streets, I think that is an important option as evidence of resistance and resistance from the people," Edo told VOI, Tuesday, October 6.

"But health protocols and COVID-19 alert are also important, and both are related to the lives of many people. For other options, I think there are also many things that can be done. The point is that we have to prove that the people's resistance is very big," he added.

Betrayal of the people

Plenary atmosphere for the ratification of the Job Creation Bill (Wardhany Tsa Tsia / VOI)

The ratification of the Job Creation Bill is a big betrayal of the people, at least in the eyes of Tubagus Soleh Ahmadi, Executive Director of WALHI DKI Jakarta. "Because this law in substance does not speak at all for the benefit and interests of the Indonesian people," said Tubagus when contacted by VOI, Tuesday, October 6.

Tubagus gave an example in terms of the environment. Bagus said, Indonesia's environment is currently experiencing a crisis. Many community groups are working hand in hand to carry out initiatives to restore Indonesia. Worse, in the midst of this situation, the government has even made policies that perpetuate and exacerbate environmental damage.

Not to mention the discussion that was carried out in secret. And discussion of laws in the midst of a pandemic? The whole discussion process is cheating. In his eyes, the government is deliberately taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to smooth the Job Creation Bill, when the pandemic limits the space for people to carry out surveillance.

"The discussion of the bill was carried out secretly. If we look at the legislative process, there are indeed many flaws. So from the start we rejected the Job Creation Bill, let alone immediately discussed it, because basically it does not deserve to be reviewed because it is detrimental to society, "added Bagus.

"In fact, the government is busy taking care of this policy which incidentally is for the interests of corporations or the interests of the oligarchy. Obviously, they are taking advantage of the pandemic situation," he added.

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Resistance ripples

This afternoon, Tuesday, October 6, strikes and demonstrations related to the ratification of the Job Creation Bill took place in various regions in the archipelago. In Bandung, thousands of workers in the Rancaekek industrial area, Bandung Regency, took to the streets, causing serious traffic jams on Jalan Bandung-Garut.

The workers who were members of the Indonesian Trade Union Alliance Congress (KASBI) blocked the road. They also took a walk from Pertama Hijau in Rancaekek.

Not only in Bandung, hundreds of workers in Surabaya also took part in a demonstration. The workers who are members of the Surabaya Workers' Alliance appear to be moving from Jalan Mastrip Karangpilang. Furthermore, they moved towards the DPRD Office and the Office of the Governor of East Java.

In Makassar, hundreds of students at the Allauddin State Islamic University blockaded the road by burning tires. From VOI's monitoring, demonstrators were still holding on to close Jalan Sultan Alauddin Makassar until 17.55 WITA, Tuesday, October 6. They blocked the road by car.

UIN Makassar students blockaded Jalan Sultan Alauddin (Thamzil / VOI)

In his oration, the demonstrators rejected the ratification of the Job Creation Law. The law, which was passed at the DPR plenary session, Monday, October 5, is considered to be impartial to workers and laborers.

Kahar S. Cahyono, Head of the Communication and Media Department of the Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPI), said that the workers would conduct a national demonstration. Action will be carried out in each region, without mass movement to the DPR. "We are considering the health problems of fellow workers. So we have decided not to hold an action in the DPR," he said.

The demonstration which is only per region is also due to wanting to focus on industrial locations. Thus, the action of the hunters is more efficient and reduces the existing risks.

"Almost all regions have taken action (strikes and demonstrations). In Serang, Cilegon, Depok, Bogor, Karawang, those are some of them," he said.

All these actions, said Kahar, only had one demand, namely "withdraw the Omnibus Law!"

The Job Creation Bill is a bill proposed by the government. The Job Creation Bill is also part of the Priority Bill in 2020 in the 2020 National Legislation Program.

Compared to other bills, the Workforce Bill is the bill with the fastest discussion. In fact, the number one person in Indonesia gave an order that the bill could be completed before August 17, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government claims that the rush of discussions is part of the government's plan to facilitate investment in Indonesia.

Then, the discussion sessions were held day and night. Miraculously, discussions were also held late into the night, leaving aside the recess and pandemic. As a result, the Work Creation Omnibus Law Bill was officially passed by the DPR to become a Law (UU) at the plenary session last Monday.

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