Government Requires Private Companies To Provide THR In Today's Memory, September 16, 1994

Illustration - The initiation of the holiday allowance (THR) began with the Old Order period, and was required for private companies during the New Order era. (Between)

JAKARTA Memories of today, 29 years ago, September 16, 1994, Holiday Allowance (THR) finally officially became the right of all workers. Civil Servants (PNS) and private employees. Its nature must also be given by employers. The regulation comes with the blessing of the Minister of Manpower (Menaker), Abdul Latief.

Previously, the THR narrative was present in the Old Order era. The owner of the power to provide THR to help the economy in the preparation of the holiday. However, the gift is limited to those who serve as civil servants, while private workers are labor and others - it is not clear.

Religious holidays are often celebrated with joy. All Indonesian people across religions are also waiting for the holiday. From Islam to Hinduism. The presence of elements of the celebration made a large circulation of money occur.

This means that people will always get out more funds ahead of the holiday. The phenomenon was observed by the Prime Minister of Indonesia during the Old Order era, Soekiman Wirjosandjojo. He then perpetuated the popular policy of giving THR to state servants alias civil servants in 1951.

Every holiday, they get money assistance. The assistance is considered capable of helping the finance of civil servants to be able to prepare all kinds of holiday needs. From homecoming to basic necessities.

The policy in fact received protests from the workers. Those who incidentally are not civil servants feel the government is unfair. The power of attorney wants civil servants to live comfortably. In fact, the whole of Indonesia is celebrating the same thing.

The workers also voiced that the government demanded that the company issue one month's THR of dirty salaries. This desire was heard by the government. However, what came out was only in the form of an appeal, not an order.

Soekiman's very popular policy, even continues to be maintained until now, even though it was temporarily suspended during the Wilopo Cabinet, was the provision of holiday allowances (THR). Soekiman gave bonuses to state servants ahead of Eid al-Fitr.

"At that time it fell at the beginning of July 1951, amounting to Rp. 125 to Rp. 200 for each person. In addition, during Soekiman's reign, employees also received sufficient rice allowances for one month," Lukman Hakiem wrote in the book Soekiman (2022).

This condition was not much different at the beginning of the New Order (Orba) era. The New Order government even issued a regulation explaining that employers were not obliged to pay THR to their employees in 1972.

The absence of THR to private workers is considered an injustice. The New Order government is considered insensitive. Moreover, the THR affairs are still continuously under review by the Ministry of Manpower (Kemenaker). President Suharto was furious. He did not want his staff to announce the THR for too long.

The Minister of Manpower, Abdul Latief, was summoned. He asked for clarity regarding the stagnation of THR matters. Abdul Latief was then asked to issue a Ministerial Regulation within a short period of time. As a result, Per 04/Men/1994 were born.

The Ministerial Regulation was signed by Abdul Latief on September 16, 1994. He emphasized that the official THR is the right of all workers, civil servants and the private sector. The amount of THR is echoed by its dedication. Even the THR of the law must be issued by employers.

That the Indonesian people are religious people who celebrate every year, religious holidays are in accordance with their respective religions. That workers to celebrate the day requires additional costs.

"That to celebrate this holiday, it is only natural for entrepreneurs to provide Religious THR. That to create business calm, improve the welfare of workers and uniformity regarding the provision of Religious THR needs to be stipulated by Ministerial Regulation," explained the Ministerial Regulation.