Bandung – Hundreds of workers rallied outside the West Java governor's office in Bandung on Thursday, demanding that the governor pressure municipal and regency administrations to raise their wages.

The protest came after West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan scrapped the provincial minimum wage and let each municipality and regency determine their own monthly salary for workers.

During Thursday's protest, workers from industrial centers in Bogor, Sukabumi, Purwakarta, Bekasi, Sumedang and other regencies told Heryawan to encourage city administrations to set their 2010 wages according to the province's current fair living need (KHL).

Protester Yani Maryani, a single parent working for blanket firm PT Sumber Mekar Textile Industry in West Bandung for 10 years, said he was now paid only Rp 1.011 million per month, less than the regency's monthly KHL of Rp 1.166 million.

"My first salary was Rp 500,000. Although it has doubled in 10 years, rice prices have also increased many times, as well as other basic necessities."