Dewi Kurniawati – After spending 18 years as a staunch labor activist, including three years in prison, Dita Indah Sari shocked many in 2010 when she decided to join the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry.

But to Dita, a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership, the move made sense. After evaluating the results of years of rallies, she came to a conclusion: To make the changes she wanted, she needed to get inside the system.

Now the ministry spokeswoman and a 40-year-old mother of a young child, she must juggle preparations for May Day from the other side of the fence as she manages public outrage over the controversial death of three Indonesian workers in Malaysia. In the middle of it all, she took time talk to the Jakarta Globe.

I still remember you leading a protest with a baby bump. You got up in a truck and gave a fiery speech. When was that?

Ah, sure, that was back in 2008 when I led a protest against the rising of fuel prices. I was eight months pregnant.

You were militant. What made you decide to change lanes?

After a decade of reform, activists started to wonder what had been achieved... We realized activists were never part of the decision-making process; our role was mostly out on the streets – giving speeches, making statements and tearing down gates.

We never thought of actually taking power because our main goal was just to take down [former President] Suharto. We were all so naive; it's no wonder they left us behind.

That's when we decided to join political parties and be part of either the legislative or executive branches of government. Some activists chose to stay outside the system to keep the balance.

Why did you choose to join the Reform Star Party (PBR)?

Big parties are only interested in taking activist leaders and then leaving out their members. I was the head of PRD [People's Democratic Party, an opposition party she co-founded in 1992] and did not want that. The PBR not only agreed to accommodate all of us, but it also allowed us to be ourselves. We could keep our activist spirit. It's too bad I didn't get into the House [of Representatives].

Then what happened?

I sat down and thought about it for a year. I thought, 'I have been in the labor movement for 18 years, and with all my knowledge and experience, I should be able to do something.' This was in 2010.

Then there came an offer from the minister [Muhaimin Iskandar, also known as Cak Imin]. My first task was to fix the long-running battle between the ministry and the National Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers [BNP2TKI] over who is in charge of what. Trust me, the road was not easy. It's good that I'm a longtime friend with Jumhur Hidayat [the head of BNP2TKI] because we were both labor activists.

What challenges are you facing now that you are 'part of the furniture?'

I've been criticized about that, but at least I believe I'm doing something good. I handle issues on migrant workers and laborers, which I have always been passionate about.

One important thing people should remember before criticizing is that this ministry has been around for a long time. There are many problems that won't be resolved instantly just because Dita Indah Sari has now joined. It's not easy to change the mind-set and bureaucracy that's around for decades. There have been several temptations [to take bribes], but I manage to refuse. I sincerely think that compared to five years ago, the government is now more proactive on worker issues.

What are the main problems you must tackle?

On migrant workers issues, the main challenge is to convince all stakeholders, including different ministries, to work together. In the spirit of regional autonomy, it's also crucial to urge local leaders to protect their own citizens. Don't send people out if they're underaged or unprepared.

On labor issues, we're still juggling problems related to minimum wage, insurance and outsourcing. Wages are small because we have a high-cost economy due to the lack of infrastructure and corruption.

When you reminisce on the past – being battered, jailed, harassed – what does it all mean to you now?

I was jailed several times. The longest was three years in Surabaya, from 1996 to 1999, after leading 20,000 in labor demonstrations in Sidoarjo, East Java. During my detention, I was sexually harassed and beaten just like a male detainee. I forgive, but I will never forget.