Members Of The House Of Representatives From The Democratic Party Faction: New Rules For Old Age Security Are Logical And Unfair

Member of Commission IX DPR RI from the Democratic Party Faction, Aliyah Mustika Ilham. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives Aliyah Mustika Ilham asked the government to review the Minister of Manpower Regulation Number 2 of 2022 concerning Procedures and Requirements for Payment of Old Age Security Benefits (JHT).

"This rule is logically flawed and unfair, so it's not surprising if it causes a commotion," Aliyah Mustika said in a statement in Jakarta, Sunday, February 20, 2022, as reported by Antara.

According to him, the rule that states that JHT benefits in BPJS Employment can only be taken when workers enter retirement or at the age of 56, is an inappropriate policy.

He reminded that the JHT budget does not come from the state budget but is taken directly from the workers' money.

"How can the government through the Ministry of Manpower prohibit workers or JHT participants from taking their money? The JHT budget is not from the APBN, it is taken directly from the workers' money," he said.

That's why he thinks logically JHT belongs to the workers, so of course it is very useful for workers who have been BPJS Employment participants when they were laid off or stopped for other reasons before they were 56 years old.

Aliyah explained, if a person quits or is laid off from work and is entitled to JHT before the age of 56 years, then the person concerned has sufficient opportunities to take advantage of his productive age.

"So, JHT should indeed be used by workers in urgent situations. Not everyone who loses a job has sufficient savings, especially during a pandemic like now, everything is uncertain," he said.

He explained that the Democratic Party faction is of the view that the workers are the most disadvantaged parties with the Permenaker which, among other things, regulates the issue of taking Old Age Security.