The House Of Representatives Member Of PKS Party Faction: Homecoming Is Prohibited, Government Must Provide Incentives For Bus Drivers And Conductors

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission V of Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) from the PKS Party, Toriq Hidayat proposed two incentives that the government could provide to ease the burden on transportation crews due to the impact of the 2021 Eid homecoming ban from May 6-17, 2021.

"As a consequence of this year's Eid homecoming ban, the government must ease the burden on vehicle crews, from drivers to conductors because most of them are daily workers. Their burden has been very heavy since the pandemic", said Toriq Hidayat, Wednesday, April 21.

According to him, direct assistance to vehicle crews is the first incentive that must be provided by the government. The second incentive, he continued, is given to public transportation entrepreneurs so that their business expenses are reduced.

"The Land Transport Organization (Organda) proposed to the Ministry of Transportation and the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy to provide incentives to public transport entrepreneurs. They cannot avoid operating costs that remain out, such as maintenance, spare parts and workers' salaries", he explained.

He proposed the Government to strengthen economic policies to lighten the credit burden of bus operator entrepreneurs, namely the rules regarding the provision of installment relief for bank customers through POJK Number 48/POJK.03/2020.

Previously, Djoko Setijowarno, Chair of the Advocacy and Social Affairs of the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI), stated that intercity and interprovincial (AKAP) transportation sector companies need to be assisted to be able to provide holiday allowance (THR) to their employees.

"The government can help provide direct cash assistance for AKAP bus public transport drivers", said Djoko Setijowarno.

According to Djoko, for AKAP land transportation sector entrepreneurs, there needs to be some kind of assistance scheme. This, he said, was because AKAP bus drivers often did not get a monthly salary but some only got wages for driving the bus, so that means if they are not driving the bus, they did not get paid.

However, he also reminded that such assistance schemes must be properly targeted and should coordinate with official associations such as Organda.

Separately, the Minister of Manpower Ida Fauizyah reminded employers about the fines and sanctions imposed if they do not carry out the obligation to pay holiday allowances to their employees.

"I emphasize that the Religious holiday allowance must be paid no later than seven days before the religious holiday of the worker or laborer concerned", said the Minister of Manpower.

The obligation to pay the 2021 holiday allowance was also clarified by the issuance of a Circular Letter Number M/6/HK.04/IV/2021 concerning the Implementation of Providing Religious Holiday Allowances in 2021 for Workers/Laborers in Companies that came out on April 12, 2021 and addressed to governors in throughout Indonesia.

In this circular, he stated that holiday allowance payments must be in accordance with statutory provisions, namely Government Regulation Number 36 of 2021 concerning Wages and Regulation of the Minister of Manpower Number 6 of 2016 concerning Religious Holiday Allowances for Workers/Laborers in Companies.