Mahfud MD Ensures That The Cilaka Bill Will Not Make It Easier For Foreigners To Dominate The Work Sector In Indonesia

Menkopolhukam Mahfud MD (Mery Handayani / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said the government has predicted that the draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation will be criticized. Even so, the government has no objection and will accommodate public aspirations.

"Some say this, if the demonstration two days ago, it's not wrong, the demonstration went on. Indeed, we discussed the bill in this cabinet, it has already been said that there will be a lot of demonstrations, of course, it's okay to distribute it," he said at the Law and event. Regulation Outlook 2020, at the Shangri-La Hotel, Sudirman, Jakarta, Wednesday, January 22.

Mahfud admitted that the government does not have a problem if there are elements of society who demonstrate against the regulation, because the community also has to provide input. However, according to him, there is a misperception in the community about the omnibus law which causes them to take to the streets.

"I said if there is a problem, let (give) input. What do you ask about this? So I say, the demonstrations are misperceptions, misunderstandings," he said.

The former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court dismissed the issue that the government made the Omnibus Law Bill to facilitate foreigners. According to him, this is a misunderstanding. Because this rule will facilitate both domestic and foreign permits.

"The misunderstanding, for example, is the omnibus law to make it easier for the government to cooperate with foreigners. Foreign capital enters one door and the people suffer losses. There is no such thing. Because this applies to foreign and domestic capital, the permit," he said.

Mahfud saw that the cause of misunderstanding in society was due to hoaxes about the omnibus law. He emphasized that the government will not make it easier for foreigners to control the economic sector in Indonesia.

"The rumors are always wrong, they are made hoaxes, as if the government is to make it easier for China to enter, there is nothing to do with it. What local capital is going to come in, the law is a misunderstanding and often misunderstands the omnibus law as if it were an investment law, isn't it. Just a small part of the investment. This is the Law on Job Creation by making the investment process easier, "said Mahfud.

He hopes that the public will not misjudge the Omnibus Law Bill which is currently being deliberated by the government and the DPR. This is because the omnibus law was made to create jobs in order to bring investment into the country.

"If the omnibus law is completed, there will be major changes in Indonesia's economic movement and policies. Related to job creation, taxation, and others," he explained.

The Omnibus Law is Like a Bus

Mahfud likened the omnibus law being designed by the government to be like a large bus that will take to the same destination. According to him, in a technical context, the omnibus law is a method of making laws (UU) which regulates many things in one package so that they do not overlap.

Then, he continued, 190 years ago to be precise in 1830 in Paris, France there was a new development in the world of transportation, namely the emergence of a large bus carrying various goods to the same destination.

"At that time a large bus appeared which carried everything to one place. Well, that is what is then called an omnibus," he said.

After appearing in Paris, the term omnibus entered Latin America and was adopted into a legal term, namely omnibus law. Since then it has become a legal term in which a law can regulate many things.

According to Mahfud, the aim of the omnibus law is to simplify various rules, but still prioritize efficiency. Because of that, it was possible to create such a mechanism.

The Omnibus Law Bill includes a revision of 79 laws consisting of 1,244 articles. The revised article will cut things that have hindered the entry of investment into the country.