Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called on law enforcers and intelligence agencies to approach "organizations" and communicate with them about an omnibus bill being drafted by the government.
"I ask, especially the National Police chief, the State Intelligence Agency head, the attorney general and all relevant ministry officials to approach and communicate with existing organizations at the same time that the bill is being deliberated at the House of Representatives," he said during a limited Cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He also asked his Cabinet members to finish drafting the bill this week. "We aim to have this omnibus bill's deliberations finished in fewer than 100 working days," the President said.
The government is preparing an omnibus bill on job creation, which, if passed, would amend more than 1,000 articles in various prevailing laws, including the Labor Law, whose rigid provisions have been blamed for hampering investment in the country. The bill is expected to ease doing business in the country and attract more foreign investment and in turn create jobs.
However, labor unions have voiced objections to the draft, claiming it will undermine labor rights.
On Monday, hundreds of people representing seven labor unions and organizations, including student groups, under the auspices of the Labor with the People Movement (Gebrak) expressed opposition to the omnibus bill in front of the House building in Jakarta.
On Jan. 9, a smaller protest with about 100 people marched on the streets of Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta to slam the government's plan.
The Confederation of Indonesian Workers Union said in a recent release that it would hold another strike on Jan. 20 to protest against the bill, as well as take other actions.