Markus Junianto Sihaloho – Legislators agreed on Friday to drop a key bill on labor from their list of priority legislation to be deliberated next year, but opted to include a much-awaited bill on domestic workers.

In a vote at Friday's plenary session at the House of Representatives, legislators agreed to prioritize 64 bills for deliberation next year, out of the proposed list of 66. The two bills dropped were draft amendments to the 2003 Labor Law and to the 2003 Advocates Law.

The move to drop the labor bill was spearheaded by Rieke Dyah Pitaloka, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Rieke, who serves on House Commission IX, which oversees manpower and health affairs, said the draft presented to the House by the government was full of objectionable provisions and could not be considered ready for deliberation unless it was changed significantly.

Among the provisions she took issue with was an article phasing out Idul Fitri holiday bonuses, known as THR, for blue-collar workers. Another point of contention was the proposed reduction in the number of days off for certain groups of workers.

"So it is with firm conviction that we ask the House not to include the labor bill in the list of bills for deliberation," she said.

Opposition to the bill also came from five of the six coalition parties: the Golkar Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

"Bills are meant to protect the interests of the people, but the labor bill as it currently stands seems to protect the interests of companies," said Imam Anshori Saleh, from the PKB.

The advocates bill was dropped after PKS lawmaker Nasir Jamil, a deputy chairman of House Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, complained that it was unclear which legislators had sponsored the legislation. If recent history is a guide, however, the target of 64 bills is optimistic. In 2010, there were 70 bills on the priority list and 17 were passed, and so far this year 22 of 91 priority bills have been passed.

Among the 64 bills that will be prioritized for legislation next year is the domestic workers' protection bill. Workers' rights activists earlier this week protested outside the House, including one woman chaining herself to the front gate, to demand that the bill be prioritized.