Jakarta (Greeners) – Various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are members of the Indonesian People’s Faction submitted a motion of no confidence over the Omnibus Law’s ratification. NGOs consider the Omnibus Law threats the sustainability of workers, farmers, fishermen, indigenous people, and women. Omnibus Law is also absent in ensuring that people get sustainable benefits from the potential of natural resources.
Amid the rejection, the Indonesian Parliament (DPR RI) Plenary Session chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the DPR Azis Syamsuddin, has ratified the Omnibus Law on the Work Creation Bill (RUU) into law.
The agreement was taken at the plenary meeting held at the DPR Building, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday (5/10/2020). This meeting was accelerated after previously being scheduled for Wednesday, October 8. Also attending the plenary session: Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlanga Hartarto; Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah; Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya; Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati; Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian; Minister of Agrarian Spatial Planning/National Defense Agency Sofyan Djalil; and Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly.
Also read: Research: Indonesian Banks Invest in Deforestation Risk Sectors
DPR: The Work Creation Omnibus Bill Is Now Omnibus Law
The DPR RI Leadership Coordinator for Political and Security Affairs (Korpolkam) requested the DPR Members’ approval to ratify the Job Creation Bill into Law.
“We need to convey it based on what we have seen together. Once again, I ask for approval at this plenary meeting forum. Do you agree? “Azis asks. “Agreed,” reply to the representatives of the people who were present both physically and virtually.
The Chairman of the Legislative Body of the DPR RI, Supratman Andi Agtas, conveyed the main points in discussing the Inventory of Problems(DIM). Among other things, DIM includes the ease in registering Intellectual Property Rights (HAKI), as well as the ease in establishing a Private Public Company (PT) at a low cost.
“The Job Creation Law also applies regulations regarding the ease of doing business in the economic zone, the implementation of central government investment, and national strategic projects. As well as government administration services to facilitate bureaucratic procedures to create work,” explains Supratman.
Balinese traditional fishermen fishing in the shallow waters of Nusa Dua Beach, Bali (28/4/2013). YLBHI emphasizes that the Omnibus Law perpetuates strategic projects that neglect sustainable development and end the livelihoods of fishermen and farmers. Photo: Shutterstock.
Motion of No Confidence, YLBHI: Omnibus Law Brings Flood of Environmental Destructive Investments
On the other hand, the Chairperson of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Asfinawati believes the Omnibus Law’s dream of investment would not be the national economy’s savior. The Omnibus Law, she continues, provides convenience in licensing for a few groups of entrepreneurs who are cronies of officials and DPR members who expand corruption.
“It is clear that every article in the Omnibus Law shows that the state ignores the people’s right to live in dignity and is accelerating environmental destruction,” she says at the virtual press conference #BatalkanOmnibusLaw, Monday (05/10/2020).
Asfin continues, the Omnibus Law ratification provoked a flood of investment with questionable quality. Most of the investments are cloaked in the national lighthouse project’s acceleration under the guise of strategic development, which makes the community unable to maintain their livelihoods.
For example, she says, a national strategic project in the form of constructing a new international port and airport. These strategic projects include West Java Kertajati Airport, Yogyakarta International Airport, Kuala Tanjung International Port, Makassar New Port, and new tourist destinations, such as Labuan Bajo, which neglect sustainable development and the livelihoods of fishermen and farmers.
Solidaritas Perempuan reveals the Omnibus Law will deepen and expand agrarian conflicts, where women often experience intimidation and multiple layers of violence. Photo: Shutterstock.
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Motion of No Confidence, Solidaritas Perempuan: ‘Omnibus Law Harms Us All’
Voicing her rejection, Program Coordinator of the National Executive Agency for Solidaritas Perempuan (Women’s Solidarity), Arieska Kurniawaty, states that the Omnibus Law is detrimental to all parties, especially the agricultural sector.
“Who loses the most with the Omnibus Law? We all. For example, the Omnibus Law allows entrepreneurs to enjoy 90 years of direct business use rights (HGU). Whereas previously, it was only 25 or 35 years with an extension of 25 years if the company met the requirements. Of course, this will further deepen and expand agrarian conflicts, where women often experience intimidation and multiple layers of violence,” says Arieska.
Arieska mentions the indigenous women of Pubabu. The authority threat these women with criminalization because they took off their clothes when dealing with security forces. Just like this example, Arieska continues, the Omnibus Law threatens food sovereignty because of the provisions that equalize domestic food production and national food reserves with food imports as a source of the food supply.
The domestic market will be flooded with imported food, while the government continues to erase farmers’ and fishers’ subsidies. Moreover, most women food producers are subsistence producers. Therefore, the Indonesian People’s Faction declared a motion of no confidence in the Omnibus Law to the DPR and the government. The Indonesian People’s Faction is demanding to cancel the Omnibus Law on Job Creation.
Reporter: Dewi Purningsih
Editor: Ixora Devi
21 Apr 2024 
