Lani Diana Wijaya, Jakarta – Workers from various organizations staged a demonstration before Jakarta City Hall in Central Jakarta today, Oct. 30. Apart from demanding a hike in the provincial minimum wage (UMP), the Indonesian Trade Unions Confederation (KSPI) president Said Iqbal said that the mass rejected the increase in BPJS Kesehatan premium.

"KSPI assesses the increase in BPJS Kesehatan premium is truly detrimental to the people. Moreover, the hike is set in the middle of an economic crisis," said Iqbal in his written statement, Wednesday, Oct. 30.

The rejection was based on the different minimum wages of cities/regencies (UMK) in each region. For instance, Iqbal mentioned, labors in Kebumen and Sragen must spend 10 percent of their income to pay the insurance fee should the premium is raised.

The UMK in Kebumen and Sragen was only Rp1.6 million, and if a family has five members, the class 3 fee would be Rp210,000 per month. "This will suffocate small people," Said underlined.

The premium of BPJS Kesehatan would officially increase per January 1, 2020, under the Presidential Regulation No. 75/2019 on the amendment to Presidential Regulation No. 82/2019 on health insurance. President Jokowi had signed the policy on Thursday, October 24.

During today's demonstration, the mass from KSPI and the Indonesian Metal Workers Federation's (FSPMI) also rejected the hike of Jakarta UMP by 8.51 percent. They demanded an increase of 10-15 percent.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1266148/workers-urge-salary-hike-reject-bpjs-premium-increase-at-rally