Hasan Basri, Makassar – Workers in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar have criticised the new regulation on foreign workers which was recently issued by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
This criticism was evident in a protest action by thousands of workers in Makassar on the commemoration of May Day which fell on Tuesday May 1.
At the protest action, which was held under the Makassar flyover bridge, the protesters said that Presidential Regulation Number 20/2018 on Foreign Workers (Perpres TKA) fails to side with the interests of local workers.
“We reject the Perpres Number 20 because this PP does not side with local workers. We don’t know where this nation is being taken”, said South Sulawesi Indonesian Federated Trade Union of Struggle (FSPBI) chairperson Abdillah.
The presence of TKA in Indonesia they said, particularly in Sulawesi, undermines the rights of local workers, especially since TKA wages are higher than local labour.
In addition to the Perpres 20, they also rejected Government Regulation Number 78/2015 on Wages.
According to Tribune’s observations, as of 11am the protesters were still gathered under the flyover taking turns in giving speeches.
(San)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was Hari Buruh 2018 – Buruh Makassar Tolak Pepres Nomor 20 Tentang Tenaga Kerja Asing.]
