1997 labor law to be enacted in 2000

JAKARTA (JP): All factions at the House of Representatives (DPR) have agreed to enact the 1997 Manpower Law in October 2000 to give the government ample time to improve the document.

A plenary session at the House on Friday presided over by Deputy House Speaker Ismail Hasan Metareum decided to pass a bill on the deferral of the manpower law. The law has been widely criticized by workers, labor unions, employers and non- governmental organizations (NGOs) alike.

The government originally proposed to defer enactment of the law for one year, but the House decided to add a further year to this period.

Workers and labor unions have demanded the government revoke the law altogether, saying it did not guarantee workers rights, including freedom of association. Women's organizations and NGOs have also said the law neglects the rights of female and child workers.

Employers have condemned the law for the harsh penalties it advocates for companies found to have violated its terms. It threatens a maximum of four months imprisonment or a fine of between Rp 50 million to Rp 400 million for the proprietors of offending companies.

The House passed the law in November 1997. It should have come into effect in October of this year.

Aslam Asyhari, spokesman for the United Development Party (PPP) faction, chided the government for the late submission of the draft to the House.

"The draft (on the deferment of the manpower law) was submitted to the House on Oct. 6, five days after it was supposed to have come into effect," he said.

"This tradition of tardiness is also evident in the way the government has handled the problems of troubled Indonesian workers overseas, the mysterious murder spree in East Java, the banking crisis and the kidnapping (of political activists)," he said.

Suriansjah, spokesman for the Golkar faction, expressed his faction's deep concern over the rampant abuse of workers' rights and urged the government to be responsive to workers' aspirations and demands.

"Everyone in society, including the government and employers, should respect the economic and political rights of workers ... Labor unions should be also more professional in fighting for workers' rights and welfare," he said.

A.P. Siregar, spokesman for the Armed Forces faction, criticized the draft law's late submission to the House, saying it was unusual in the legal system.

However, Marzuki Achmad, chairman of House Commission V on labor and mining, said that employers were the only party who would benefit from postponement of the manpower law.

"Employers would suffer if the law was enforced because it threatens harsh punishment," he said. (rms)