Indonesian Muslim and union groups to fight new jobs law in court
10 October, 2020
Indonesian President Joko Widodo came under increasing pressure to repeal his new controversial jobs law on Friday (Oct 9), with union and Muslim groups getting ready to challenge it in court plus some regional leaders publicly opposing the legislation.
The president, well known by his popular name Jokowi, defended regulations, saying demonstrations that contain seen thousands of people across the world's fourth-most populous nation try the streets in sometimes violent protests this week were fuelled by disinformation in social media.
Jokowi says the "omnibus" jobs creation Bill, passed into law on Monday, will boost Indonesia's ailing economy by cutting red tape and attracting more foreign direct investment. Protesters say regulations undermines labour rights and weakens environmental protections.
The KSPI labour group, among the organisers of three-day protests and national strikes that ended on Thursday, is getting ready to lodge a case against the law in the Constitutional Court, the group's president Said Iqbal said in a statement.
Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia's biggest Muslim group with an incredible number of followers, would also challenge regulations in the court, it said in its official Twitter account.
Clashes erupted in some cities on Thursday, including in the administrative centre Jakarta where protesters burnt public transport facilities and damaged police posts.
At least six provincial governors have said they might spread protesters' demands to the president or publicly opposed the law.
Repealing the law would prevent further clashes "that could create prolonged instability amid a pandemic and an monetary recession", West Kalimantan Governor Sutarmidji said in a statement.
In a televised address, the president said Indonesia urgently had a need to create more jobs for its young population, adding that regulations would also help those laid off through the coronavirus pandemic.
"I've emphasised we need the work Creation Law ... because yearly there are 2.9 million young people entering the labour market," Jokowi said.
Police detained a lot more than 3,800 people nationwide during rallies that contain sometimes turned violent this week, including students, staff and unemployed people, spokesman Argo Yuwono said in a news conference.
There have been smaller protests on Friday in several cities on Java and Sumatra islands, according to local media.
Trade union KSBSI called on its members to launch another wave of protests from Oct 12 to 16, although some other labour groups are set to consolidate their next move over the weekend, union leaders said.
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