Jakarta – The Labour Alliance held a demonstration in front of the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday February 28, rejecting plans to enact the government regulation in lieu of Law (Perppu) to replace the Omnibus Law on Job Creation (Ciptaker).
Coinciding with a heavy downpour of rain, workers began filling the roads in front of the parliamentary complex at around 2 pm.
The thousands of workers who attended however were not deterred by rain. Some carried umbrellas and others wore rain coats, although many did not cover themselves and were soaked by the rain.
The workers were opposing plans by the House of Representatives (DPR) to ratify the Jobs Law Perppu that was issued by the government at the end of last year.
The protesters said that the Perppu is invalid as an alternative to the Constitutional Court ruling in November 2021 that declared the Omnibus Law on Job Creation conditionally unconstitutional.
"Our demand is rejecting the Perppu being deliberated by the DPR, and ask that the DPR cancel the deliberations on Perppu Number 2/2022 [on Ciptaker]", said a representative of the protesters, Endang Hidayat.
Several of the workers brought biers symbolising the victims of the Jobs Law. They also brought nasi tumpeng (ceremonial dish of yellow rice served in cone shape) and snacks that were carried on the workers shoulders.
The DPR's Legislative Body (Baleg) earlier agreed to take the Jobs Law Perppu to a plenary meeting to enact it into law.
The meeting, which was held at the parliamentary complex on Wednesday February 15, was attended by Coordinating Economics Minister Airlangga Hartarto and Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD. (thr/fra)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Diguyur Hujan Deras, Buruh Demo Tolak Perppu Ciptaker di DPR".]
