Rejecting Tapera Contributions, KSPI: Commonly 3 Percent Is Not Enough To Buy A House

Home (photo: dock. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Labor Party and the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) rejected the People's Housing Savings (Tapera) program by cutting labor wages. If done, it will actually burden workers and the people.

The President of the Labor Party who is also the Persident of KSPI, Said Iqbal said that his party was in principle supporting housing programs for the people. Because, the need for housing for the working class and the people is a primary need as well as food and clothing needs (sandang, food, board).

In fact, continued Iqbal, in the 1945 Constitution, the state was ordered to prepare housing as the people's right. This also applies to 13 Labor Party Platforms, where housing guarantees are social security that will be fought for.

"But the problem is, the current condition is not appropriate for the Tapera program to be run by the government by cutting wages for workers and Tapera participants. Because it burdens workers and the people," he said in an official statement, in Jakarta, Wednesday, May 29.

According to Iqbal, there are at least a number of reasons why the Tapera program has not been implemented properly at this time. First, there is no clarity regarding the Tapera program, especially regarding the certainty of whether workers and Tapera participants will automatically get a home after joining the Tapera program. If forced, this could harm workers and Tapera participants.

"Physically healthy and mathematical calculations, Tapera contributions of 3 percent (paid by employers 0.5 percent and paid by workers 2.5 percent) will not be sufficient for workers to buy a house at retirement age or when laid off," he said.

Currently, continued Iqbal, the average wage for Indonesian workers is Rp. 3.5 million per month. If it is deducted by 3 percent per month, the contribution is around Rp. 105,000 per month or Rp. 1,260,000 per year. Because Tapera is a social Savings, within 10 years to 20 years, the collected money is Rp. 12,600,000. to Rp. 25,200,000.

"The big question is, is there a house price of Rp. 12.6 million or Rp. 25.2 million in the next 20 years? Even if there is an added business profit from the Tapera social savings, the collected money will not be possible for workers to own a house," he said.

So, continued Iqbal, with 3 percent contribution, what aims to make workers have a house is the mere possibility for workers and Tapera participants to own a house. "It's already a burden on the wages of workers every month, in retirement or when they are laid off, they also can't own a house," said Iqbal.

The second reason, continued Iqbal, in the last five years the real wage for workers has decreased by 30 percent. This is because wages do not increase for almost 3 consecutive years and this year the wages have increased very cheaply. If you cut it again by 3 percent for Tapera, of course the burden on workers' lives will be heavier, especially since the contribution for workers is five times that of the employer's contribution.

In the 1945 Constitution, he said, the government's responsibility is to prepare and provide housing for the cheap people, such as the Health Insurance program and the availability of cheap food.

"But in the Tapera program, the government does not pay dues at all, only as a collector of people's and laborers' contributions. This is unfair because the availability of houses is the responsibility of the state and is the right of the people. If workers are told to pay 2.5 percent and employers pay 0.5 percent, "said Said Iqbal.

Therefore, Iqbal considered that the Tapera program was not appropriate to run now as long as there was no contribution from the government as the program for receiving contribution assistance in the Health Insurance program.

While the fourth reason, the Tapera Program seems forced only to raise public funds, especially funds from workers, civil servants, the TNI/Polri, and the general public. Do not let new corruption run rampant in Tapera as happened in ASABRI and TASPEN.

"Thus, Tapera is not proper to carry out as long as there is closely attached supervision to prevent corruption in Tapera's program funds," he explained.