Jakarta – Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) spatial planning and infrastructure campaign manager Dwi Sawung has highlighted that the three vice presidential candidates (cawapres) failed to take up the issue of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation during the fourth election debate on January 21.
Sawung believes that the Jobs Law is the cause of much environmental damage, yet the vice presidential candidates Muhaimin Iskandar, the chairperson of the National Awakening Party (PKB), President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's son Gibran Rakabuming Raka and Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD did not touch on the law at all.
"What was missed was one issue, yes, the issue of AMDAL [environmental impact analysis] and the issue of revoking [permits] was discussed, but forgotten was the other issues that arise from the Job Creation Law and its derivative [regulations]", said Sawung during a discussion in Tebet, Jakarta, on Tuesday January 23.
Sawung then highlighted the environmental commitments by the three vice presidential candidates. He said he appreciates that Iskandar took up several important issues such as ecological justice, inter-generational justice and ecological repentance.
Sawung also praised Mahfud MD for having the courage to raise the issue of the criminalisation of environmental activists, but questioned this given his position as a public official.
"Pak [Mr] Mahfud also talked about something that is actually very taboo, rarely talked about, the issue of SLAPP, strategic lawsuits against public participation, the issue of protecting activists", he said.
Sawung added, "What is unfortunate is that he as the Menko Polhukam is actually able to take operational action to protect activists".
Meanwhile Sawung criticised Gibran Rakabuming Raka's failure to understand environmental issues, criticising his claims about the success of the food estate program. (dhf/bmw)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Walhi Heran Imin, Gibran, Mahfud Tak Singgung UU Cipta Kerja di Debat".]