Banten At The End Of 2021: There Are Workers Lifting Their Feet At The Governor's Desk

Photo: IS

JAKARTA – Approaching the turn of 2021, so many events have occurred in Banten Province. Especially at the end of December, of all the events that happened, the incident of workers occupying the seat of the Governor of Banten Wahidin Hasim became a moment that seemed to leave a wound at the end of the year.

Six workers who staged a demonstration in the Central Government Area of Banten Province (KP3B) by the Direskrimum of the Banten Police were named suspects by the Banten Police. The detention of the six suspected laborers in Banten began with a series of demonstrations by labor union members ahead of the 2022 Regency/City Minimum Wage (UMK) determination.

Several times hundreds of workers in Banten held demonstrations starting with the demand for an increase in the 2022 UMK ahead of the stipulation by the Governor of Banten.

Furthermore, on November 30, 2021, the Governor of Banten, Wahidin Halim, set the Regency/City Minimum Wage (UMK) in Banten Province in 2022. The highest increase in UMK was in South Tangerang City at 1.17 percent.

The amount of the UMK in 2022 for the province of Banten, namely Pandeglang Regency, there is no increase or remains Rp. 2,800,292.64, Lebak Regency has increased to Rp. 2,773,590.40 from Rp. 2,751,313.81 or an increase of 0.81 percent, Serang Regency has no increase or fixed at IDR 4,215,180.86, Tangerang Regency no increase or still IDR 4,230,792.65.

Tangerang City rose to IDR 4,285,798.90 from IDR 4,262,015.37 or up 0.56 percent, South Tangerang City rose to IDR 4,280,214.51 from the previous IDR 4,230,792.65 or up 1.17 percent, Cilegon City rose to IDR 4 340,254.18 from IDR 4,309,772.64 or up 0.71 percent, and Serang City rose to IDR 3,850,526.18 from the previous IDR 3,830,549.10 or up 0.52 percent.

Banten Governor Wahidin Halim/ Photo: IST

The determination of the 2022 UMK certainly does not satisfy the workers because they want a higher wage increase than the one set by the Governor of Banten. The workers also asked for the determination of the UMK based on the results of a decent living needs survey (KHL).

However, the determination of the UMK by the Governor of Banten still refers to the applicable laws and regulations, namely PP No. 36/2021 concerning Wages as a legal product derived from Law no. 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation which was declared still valid by the Constitutional Court.

Even in the determination of the 2022 UMK in Banten, there are three regions that have not experienced an increase, namely Serang Regency, Tangerang Regency, and Pandeglang Regency.

Reaction of UMK Determination Workers

Because of the Banten Governor's decision, workers in Banten reacted and held several demonstrations in the Central Government Area of Banten Province. The main demands of the workers are asking the Governor of Banten to revise the Decree of the Governor of Banten regarding the determination of the 2022 UMK on the grounds that it does not provide justice for workers.

Several times the actions carried out by workers at KP3B did not get any response from the Governor of Banten. In fact, the workers were never met by Governor Wahidin Halim or his representatives.

Banten Governor Wahidin Halim only responded to the action by giving a statement through the mass media so that workers accept the decision. He will not revise his decision. One of his statements which was considered by workers to be inappropriate and demeaning to workers was asking employers to replace employees who refused the 2022 UMK.

The workers did not despair and did not care about the statement of the Governor of Banten who still would not revise the decision related to the 2022 UMK. Until finally, on Wednesday, December 22, workers again held a massive demonstration at KP3B involving thousands of workers from eight regencies/cities in Banten.

Workers in Banten Governor Wahidin Halim's room/ Photo: Screen capture video

However, the demonstration which was held from noon to night, was marked by the actions of a number of workers who forced their way into Wahidin Halim's office, arguing that they wanted to hold an audience with the Governor of Banten.

Until finally, the video of the presence of workers in the Banten Governor's office spread and was crowded on social media. In the action, some of the workers sat in the governor's office chair, some stood on the chair, and took mineral water and drinks from the refrigerator in the room.

Information about the incident reached the ears of the Governor of Banten, who was at his residence in Pinang, Tangerang City at the time of the incident. Governor Wahidin Halim reacted violently, leading to the dismissal of the Head of Banten PP Kasatpol Agus Supriadi and reporting the labor action to the Banten Police through his attorney.

Labor Arrest

Based on the report of the Governor of Banten Wahidin Halim through his legal counsel, Asep Abdullah Busro who visited the Banten Police on Friday (12/24), the police finally named six workers as suspects on suspicion of violating Article 160 of the Criminal Code on sedition, Article 170 of the Criminal Code on destruction of goods together, and Article 207 of the Criminal Code concerning intentionally publicly insulting a power that exists in Indonesia.

The Ditreskrimum of the Banten Police arrested six workers suspected of being the perpetrators of the case, namely AP (46), a man, a resident of Tigaraksa, Tangerang, SH (33), a man, a resident of Citangkil, Cilegon, SR (22), a woman, a resident of Cikupa, Tangerang, SWP (20), female, resident of Kresek, Tangerang, OS (28), male, resident of Cisoka, Tangerang, and MHF (25), male, resident of Cikedal, Pandeglang.

According to the Dirreskrimum of the Banten Police, Kombes Pol. Ade Rahmat Idnal, from the results of the examination or the investigation process against the six people, they were subsequently promoted to suspect status in this case.

Banten Police Public Relations Head AKBP Shinto Silitonga during a press conference (ANTARA)

From the results of the investigation, four suspects, namely AP (46), SH (33), SR (22), SWP (20) were subject to Article 207 of the Criminal Code concerning intentionally publicly insulting a state power by sitting at the governor's desk, raising one's feet above the ground. governor's desk and other unethical acts, with a penalty of 18 months in prison. There were no arrests for the four suspects.

The two suspects, OS (28) and MHF (25), are subject to Article 170 of the Criminal Code concerning the destruction of goods together, with a penalty of five years and six months in prison. Two of the suspects were detained.

However, on humanitarian grounds and the guarantee from the head of the labor union who came to the Banten Police on Tuesday (28/12), namely Andi Ghani Nena Wea (KSPSI President) and KSPI President Said Iqbal, the Banten Police finally suspended the detention of the two suspects without stopping the process. the law.

Meanwhile, two of the six suspected laborers who had been detained, namely SWP (20) and SH (33), apologized for the actions of those who had entered the governor's office. They admitted that they entered, sat on a chair, and raised their feet on the governor's desk, spontaneously, without intending to insult the Governor of Banten Wahidin Halim.

KSPI President Asks Governor Wahidin Halim to withdraw the report

President of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPSI) Andi Gani Nuna Wea and President of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) Said Iqbal appreciate the Banten Police's decision to grant the request for suspension of their members, OS (28) and MHF (25) who were named suspects for the action to occupy the governor's seat. Banten Wahidin Halim.

After meeting with the Dirreskrimum of the Banten Police Kombes Pol. Ade Rahmat Idnal and the Head of Public Relations of the Banten Police AKBP Shinto Silitonga, Andi Gani Nuna Wea and Said Iqbal had a long discussion regarding the incident that occurred on Wednesday, December 22, then in the office of the Governor of Banten Wahidin Halim.

KSPSI President Andi Gani Nuna Wea and KSPI President Said Iqbal/ Photo: Doc. Banten Police

"Banten Police have carried out their duties in accordance with the SOP and we give appreciation and at the same time straighten out information in the community that it is not true that there are masses of workers who break through police barricades. The crowd that entered the governor's room were those who were going to have an audience, but at the time there were no representative officials to be found. Because of this, the workers spontaneously entered the office of the Governor of Banten and occupied the governor's chair and took drinks and food. This action is wrong. This was never planned and ran spontaneously and there was never an order from the organization to do it,” explained Andi Gani, to reporters, Tuesday, December 28.

Meanwhile, according to Said Iqbal, the problem is not criminalization, but a dialogue problem regarding the discussion of the minimum wage demanded by workers to offset the inflation that occurs.

"For this reason, we hope that the Governor of Banten will have a dialogue and discussion with the labor alliance," concluded Said Iqbal.

Furthermore, Said Iqbal asked the Governor of Banten Wahidin Halim to end this case.

"Labourers as law-abiding citizens will follow the legal process, and we ask the Governor of Banten to end this conflict by withdrawing the report," said Said Iqbal.