Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – Workers say the House of Representatives (DPR) has become a rubber stamp for the government after enacting Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) Number 2/20022 on the Jobs Law into law on Tuesday.
Indonesian Association of Trade Unions (Aspek) President Mirah Sumirat admitted to feeling disappointed because the DPR ignored the February 2022 Constitutional Court ruling that ordered the law to be revised.
"Indonesia has returned to the era of [former president Suharto's] New Order, because it turns out that the DPR today has just become a rubber stamp for the government. Moreover it also ignored the Constitutional Court ruling that declared the Jobs Law [conditionally] unconstitutional and ordered that it be revised within two years", Sumirat told Kompas.com on Thursday March 23.
Sumirat stated that in ignoring the Constitutional Court's ruling, the DPR has also indirectly ignored the constitutional rights of all Indonesian people.
Moreover, it is felt that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo issued the Perppu to replace the Jobs Law when there was no compelling economic crisis.
The issuing of the Perppu is also seen as evidence of the arrogance of president Widodo's administration and the DPR who simply want to protect the interests of capitalists.
Sumirat also said that the DPR's failure to discuss the Perppu at the first parliamentary sitting since it was issued proves that there was no compelling crisis meeting the formal requirements for a Perppu to be issued.
"The DPR, which should be the people's representatives, in fact no longer fights for the interests of all Indonesian people", he asserted.
Sumirat added that the contents of the Perppu enacted by the DPR are not very different from the contents of the original Jobs Law that greatly harmed the interests of workers.
"The loss of job security, [minimum] wage guarantees and social security in the Jobs Law as well as the Jobs Law Perppu will be a prolonged nightmare for workers and for all the Indonesian people", he added.
Earlier on Tuesday March 21 the DPR officially ratified the Jobs Law Perppu into law.
The process began with the reading out of a report by DPR Legislative Body (Baleg) Deputy Chairperson M Nurdin on the results of the deliberations on ratifying Perppu Number 2/2022 on the Jobs Law.
Following this, a plenary meeting to enact the law was marred by an outpouring of interruptions and a walkout.
The Democrat Party faction managed to interrupt DPR Speaker Puan Maharani who wanted to ratify the Perppu, saying they objected to the Perppu being passed into law.
Meanwhile the Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) faction also used its right to interrupt the session. The faction even held a "walkout action" after articulating its opposition. Despite this response, Maharani still enacted the Perppu into law.
"Next, we will ask all of the factions if it is agreed that the draft law on Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 2/2022 on the Jobs Law shall become law?", asked Maharani.
"Agreed!", shouted those present. "Thank you", said Maharani striking the gavel.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Sahkan Perppu Ciptaker Jadi UU, Buruh: DPR RI Hanya Stempel Pemerintah".]
