Protesters demand expulsion of activist<\/p>\n
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam<\/p>\n
Around 1,000 protesters marched outside the Batam mayor's
\noffice in Riau on Thursday, demanding that an independent labor
\nleader be evicted from the island, known for its industry,
\nfollowing a recent rally he had led to oppose the city's new
\nminimum wage.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators said Bambang Yulianto, who heads the Batam
\nbranch of the Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (SBSI), should be
\nexpelled from the city because of his allegedly rude behavior and
\nremarks against Malay people there.<\/p>\n
Wearing white headbands and carrying anti-SBSI banners, they
\nalso urged the Batam government to disband Bambang's
\norganization. \"Expel Bambang Yulianto from Batam. He is a
\nprovocateur,\" the demonstrators shouted.<\/p>\n
The protest was apparently held to counter an earlier rally on
\nDec. 29 organized by Bambang, which urged the local
\nadministration, businessmen and the city's manpower office to
\nreview the new minimum wage.<\/p>\n
Under the recent tripartite agreement, Batam's minimum wage
\nwas raised to Rp 535,000 from Rp 510,000 per month.<\/p>\n
The protest forced Batam Mayor Nyat Kadir to delay attending a
\npost-Idul Fitri get-together function with Malay ethnic residents
\nfor several hours on Dec. 29.<\/p>\n
As a result, Thursday's demonstrators, including Malay ethnic
\nresidents, accused Bambang of \"belittling\" the event.<\/p>\n
Ahmad Mipon, leader of the Malay Legion, said Bambang and his
\nSBSI members should not have staged such a protest as it had
\ndisrupted the gathering.<\/p>\n
\"We appreciate the struggle of the workers, but remember that
\nwe should also be respected,\" Mipon told Thursday's protesters
\nwho arrived at the scene in convoy at 09:12 a.m., on bicycles and
\ntrucks.<\/p>\n
Deputy Batam Mayor Asman Abnur met the demonstrations and told
\nthem that their demand for the expulsion of Bambang would be
\ndecided by the court.<\/p>\n
\"I ask you all to return to your respective places of work.
\nThe issue of Bambang will be settled from a legal standpoint\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In a response to the demand, Bambang said he would not leave
\nBatam, whatever dangers he might face. \"I will stay here to the
\nend because what I have done so far is purely to support the
\nstruggle of the workers.\"<\/p>\n
He criticized the mayor for evading the SBSI-led protesters
\nwho comprised diverse individuals, and instead attending the
\nMalay event.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Wednesday, leaders of SBSI and the Riau Malay
\nTribal Institute (LAMR) agreed to forgive each other and allow
\nBambang to stay in Batam.<\/p>\n
It was not clear who had organized Thursday's protest. Many
\ndemonstrators declined to reveal the organizers' names. \"Most of
\nthe protesters refuse to say who was behind the mass action,\" a
\nlocal policeman said.<\/p>\n
However, the protest was believed to have blocked SBSI's
\ncampaign for a better minimum wage in the city, about 20
\nkilometers from Singapore.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, head of the Batam manpower office Arifin said a
\ntripartite meeting had rejected SBSI's demand for a review of the
\nnew minimum wage.<\/p>\n
\"The decision is final. It's impossible to change a decision
\nbecause of a groundless argument. And if we further raise the
\nminimum wage, many investors have threatened to leave Batam.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/protesters-demand-expulsion-of-activist-1447893297",
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