Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Said Iqbal, Labor Party President, claimed police obstructed the access for hundreds of workers to rally in front of the State Palace on Monday, December 29. The workers eventually decided to demonstrate near Horse Statue area in Central Jakarta.
"But even the usual spot at the Horse Statue was barricaded by the police," he said in front of the BSI Tower, Central Jakarta, Monday, December 29, 2025.
Today, workers are protesting against Jakarta Provincial Minimum Wage (UMP) hike, which was lower than the region's decent living needs at Rp5,898,511.
Iqbal suspects that this effort to block protesters came from those seeking to militarize the police. "This is dangerous for democracy," he said.
Iqbal said he has reported this to the Chair of the Indonesian National Police Reform Commission, Jimly Asshiddiqie, and a member of the Indonesian National Police Reform Commission, Mahfud Md. In addition, Iqbal has requested to meet with both of them.
"This cannot be allowed. If it were students, they would have been beaten by now," he said.
On today's rally, Iqbal said the workers ask Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung to invite back the Wage Council and labor organization leaders to revise the 2026 Jakarta minimum wage. He's seeking to align Jakarta workers' wage with the decent living needs (KHL) standards.
Workers, according to Iqbal, also want to request the DKI Jakarta Wage Council to set the minimum sectoral wage for regencies/cities or UMSK at least 5 percent above the KHL value.
"Which is Rp5.89 million plus 5 percent," he said.
Iqbal said the workers will wait for an invitation to meet with Pramono Anung. If not, he said, Jakarta workers will continue the rally from January to February 2026.
"It might even last for a year until the Governor make changes on the minimum wage," he said.
Additionally, the workers are awaiting the results of the UMSK negotiation in West Java between worker representatives and the West Java Governor, Dedi Mulyadi. Worker representatives demand that 19 regencies and cities across the province receive UMSK in accordance with the recommendations of their regents/mayors.
Today, several labor elements from various organizations, such as KSPI, National Labor Union (SPN), and the Indonesian Metal Workers Federation (FSPMI), staged a demonstration opposing the Rp5.72 million minimum wage for 2026.
– Sultan Abdurrahman contributed to the writing of this article
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2076806/workers-claim-blocked-from-staging-protest-at-state-palac