Shinta NM Sinaga/Swastika & LM, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI) led by Dita Indah Sari marked the final day of the annual session of the Assembly by amassing workers and members at the parliament to express their frustration with the so-called representatives of the people.

Friday was a busy day for protests at the parliament and the FNPBI's was amongst the biggest. The organisation is an umbrella group of workers' unions committed to comprehensive reform of Indonesian labour laws and practices. Dita Indah Sari was jailed by the New Order regime of President Suharto for her work in the Indonesian Labour Union, an arm of the People's Democratic Party (PRD). As in the demonstration launched by the People's Democratic Party (PRD) at the parliament Friday, the FNPBI demanded a 100% increase in worker's wages

"As we had suspected earlier, right till the end of the annual assembly session there has been no signs that the Indonesian people will overcome the truly perplexings problem they are facing now," said Dita in a press release received by Detik.

According to Dita, the People's Consultative Assembly should focus on labour issues which are central to the Indonesian economy. She cited statistics which indicate that around 86 million laborers are struggling to meet basic living standards. At the same time, hundreds of billions of rupiah have been spent to fund the annual session where politicians merely claim to be reformers.

"The representatives are negotiating to strengthen their bargaining power and fighting for positions instead of trying to find the best solutions which will not further harm the people and which will allow them to escape the crisis," Dita reiterated.

She said that the most pathetic aspect of the whole session was the obvious political battles within the elite which had nothing to do with the urgent plight of the people. This was merely an indication that regulations continued to be made for the benefit of the elite and not the people, similar to the former dictatorial regime of Suharto.

"These conditions have compelled the FNPBI together with other labour unions to hold a national mass action of Indonesian laborers demanding that the government to implement a 100% salary hike for all laborers," said Dita.