Jakarta – Around 50 members of the Poor People’s Alliance (ARM) demonstrated in front of the Jakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building on Friday September 21 against the imposition of bylaw on public order. The protest that was joined by some 20 transsexuals represented ongoing opposition by poor people’s groups against the controversial bylaw.

Marlo Sitompul from ARM’s public relations department said that the bylaw will bring further suffering to the poor living in Jakarta. Moreover many of those who work in the informal sector will be prohibited from doing so such as street peddlers, street traders and buskers.

“The pubic order bylaw indicates the tendency of those in power to go to war against the poor. The bylaw will also provide opportunities for Jakarta government officials to commit violence in public order operations”, said Sitompul.

The protesters demanded that the DPRD withdraw their support for the bylaw. They also called on DPRD members to hold a dialogue, but not one member was prepared to meet with the demonstrators.

Sitompul said that they would continue to demonstrate demanding the revocation of the bylaw. Poor community organisations would also be mobilised to demonstrated on a large scale during the inauguration of Jakarta governor elect Fauzi Bowo on October 7.

If there is still no response, said Sitompul, ARM would visit the minister of home affairs to seek the revocation of the bylaw. The bylaw has to obtain the approval of the home affairs minister before it can be applied.

Responding to the demonstration, the head of the Jakarta City Public Order Office (Dinas Tramtib) Harianto Badjoeri said that the bylaw was had been drafted over a period of three years and obtained input from various social groups. The bylaw on pubic order is being brought into force because of the increasingly complex social problems in Jakarta.

Badjoeri said that his office is ready to uphold the bylaw after it has been approved by the minister of home affairs. Dinas Tramtib is also preparing full security for the governor and deputy governor elect during their inauguration.

“Those parties planning to demonstrate should think again because the new governor was elected directly by the people. Demonstrations during the inauguration will not only be confronting city public order officials, but also those social groups that support Fauzi Bowo”, said Badjoeri. (ECA)

[Translated by James Balowski.]