Regarding The Provisions For BHR Ojol 20 Percent, Modantara: Impressed To Be Forced

Illustration of online motorcycle taxi drivers or ojol drivers. (Between-M Risyal H)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Digital Mobility and Delivery Association or Modantara appreciates President Prabowo Subianto's appeal regarding the provision of cash holiday bonuses (BHR) for online motorcycle taxi driver (ojol) and courier.

The President's appeal was followed up with the issuance of a Circular Letter of the Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) Number M / 3 / HK.04.OANU2A25 concerning the Provision of Religious Holiday Bonuses for Drivers and Couriers at Application-Based Transportation Services.

Modantara Executive Director, Agung Yudha, assessed that the SE of the Ministry of Manpower reflects inequality with an appeal from President Prabowo and tends not to describe the complexity of industry and ecosystems.

"We appreciate every effort to support partners. However, policies must also consider aspects of industrial sustainability and flexibility that are the basis for this ecosystem," Agung said in a written statement, Tuesday, March 18.

Agung continued, Modantara observed a number of points in the SE Ministry of Manpower, one of which was that the BHR rules must be given to all officially registered partners without taking into account their productivity.

"Even though it is very common in any sector, bonuses are given based on the performance and achievement of the target, and depending on the company's financial capacity, it is not just having registered," he said.

The next highlight is related to BHR's calculation of 20 percent of monthly average income over the past 12 months for productive partners. According to Agung, the regulation does not properly consider the President's appeal that BHR is given by looking at the company's financial capabilities.

Supposedly, he continued, the government should not need to dictate the percentage amount, but simply leave it to the company according to financial capacity considering that each platform has a different business model and operational cost structure.

"The percentage of 20 percent is determined unilaterally and is very burdensome for most platforms. Especially without clarity on what definition is 'clean income', this provision can actually cause confusion and uncertainty in its implementation," he said.

Furthermore, Modantara observed the potential for assumptions in the community due to the provision that BHR was given to all registered partners officially. Agung considers the SE of the Ministry of Manpower to provide expectations to partners who have been inactive or are short active on various platforms but are registered to continue to receive BHR.

"This appeal obscures wrong expectations that result in unnecessary field friction because in fact, according to the President's direction, if partners are not active, they do not need to obtain BHR," he explained.

According to him, BHR regulations should not reduce other benefits provided by the company, which are mandated in accordance with statutory regulations. If more and more obligations continue to be imposed, he said, it would disrupt the financial balance and sustainability of the ecosystem.

Modantara noted that several applicators had responded to the SE of the Ministry of Manpower by considering the operational aspects and partnership models implemented. Part of the applicator stated that it would evaluate the mechanism for providing additional incentives or other forms of support that could help partners, but there were also those who expressed the financial inability to comply with this policy.

Modantara emphasized that the SE Ministry of Manpower or the appeal was not a legally binding regulation.

Giving BHR cannot be forced without considering business sustainability. The government certainly cannot force private companies that lose money to provide bonuses because if the company goes bankrupt, the government will not be able to provide assistance injections," he said.

Agung said Modantara encouraged the government to cooperate with parties that have relevance and credibility with the policies to be taken, and are truly part of the ecosystem. Thus, the policies implemented can be accepted by all parties and do not cause polemics that have the potential to harm the digital industry ecosystem.

"The right decision will provide a balance between support for partners and industrial sustainability, thus supporting Indonesia's economic growth," he said.