Demonstration Against The Job Creation Law Continues To Occur, Observer: Action Is Still Ineffective

Illustration (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - A number of demonstrations against the Job Creation Law have continued since last week and were attended by a number of community elements from student and labor groups. This action wants the Law to be repealed, one of which is by using a Government Regulation in Lieu of a Law (Perppu).

Executive Director of the Indonesia Political Opinion, Dedi Kurnia Syah, assessed that the protesters' desire to issue the Perppu Omnibus Law on Cipta Kerja is unlikely.

Dedi believes President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will continue to use the laws he has touched on since he was inaugurated as President of the Republic of Indonesia in this second term.

"If you read the president's gesture so far, there is very little possibility of a Perppu even though this condition is a dilemma for the president, whether to side with the public who is busy protesting or continue the Job Creation Law," said Dedi during a conversation with VOI , Monday, October 19.

He considered this demonstration was not yet effective in shaking Jokowi's decision on the Job Creation Law. Moreover, the government has agreed to unanimously approve this law.

According to him, this demonstration needs to be carried out, although the result cannot influence policy. Demonstration, for him, is the same as challenging this Law to the Constitutional Court.

"Both are necessary, both public action and suing the MK," he said.

"Demonstrations do not always have to be successful in influencing policy. This is more about formalizing the aspirations and demands that are protected by the constitution. If then the President understands the public's wishes and fulfills the requests it will be very good," he added.

Today, Tuesday, October 20, the masses will reject the Job Creation Law. Actions like this were carried out on 8 October and 16 October. One of the demonstrators on that day is the All Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM SI).

They took to the streets because it was to urge the government to revoke the Job Creation Law which was deemed to be detrimental to workers and a number of other elements of society. This pressure also arises because the government appears to be challenging the public to conduct a judicial review of the law even though they can revoke it.

"The All-Indonesia BEM Alliance stated that it would step back into action to urge the President of the Republic of Indonesia to immediately revoke the Job Creation Law," Remmy said in a written statement.

"We continue to convey a motion of no confidence to the government and people's representatives who do not side with the interests of the people," he added.

In addition to the BEM SI Alliance, the Confederation of the Indonesian Workers Alliance Congress (KASBI) has also confirmed that it will take to the streets to voice rejection of the Omnibus Law on Cipta Kerja. "The demands are to cancel the Omnibus and urge the issuance of a Perppu," he said when contacted by reporters.

The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said demonstrations aimed at conveying these aspirations would not be prohibited by the state because their implementation had been protected by the 1945 Constitution and guaranteed by Law Number 9 of 1998.

However, he reminded the students and workers who would participate in the action to watch out for intruders who made the previously peaceful action chaotic.

"Be careful not to have an intruder inviting you to make a fuss or your friend becoming a victim because an intruder wants to find a martyr," he said via video caption.

Apart from the demonstrators, the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) also advised law enforcement officers, especially the police, to be humane towards the masses and not to use live ammunition.

"The police and all security and order devices are expected to treat all protesters humanely. Do not carry live ammunition," said Mahfud.