Batam Fishermen Complain About BPJS Administration Requirements Despite City Government Covering Contributions
Several fishermen in Batam City, Riau Islands, have complained about the administrative requirements for participating in the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan (workers’ social security) program, the contributions for which are covered by the Batam City Government.
Although the local government has covered BPJS Ketenagakerjaan contributions for approximately 6,000 fishermen in 2026, some fishermen feel that the registration and verification process is still quite complicated, especially for small-scale fishermen who do not have complete documents.
A fisherman from Tanjung Uma, Batam, Nurdin, 44, said that requirements such as fisherman’s cards, vessel data, and complete administrative documents are obstacles in the registration process.
“If there are too many requirements, small fishermen like us will have difficulty. In fact, we really need protection when we go out to sea,” he said on Saturday (May 16).
Another fisherman, Rahmat, 38, a resident of Batu Aji, also admitted to having difficulty meeting the required administrative requirements. He said that not all fishermen have complete documents such as fisherman’s cards or registered vessel data.
“Sometimes we focus on fishing, so administrative matters are often incomplete. In fact, this program would be very good if we could participate,” he said.
Another fisherman, Hasan, 52, from Belakang Padang, hopes that the government can provide more intensive assistance so that small fishermen can more easily participate in the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan program.
“We don’t not want to participate, but many people don’t understand how to handle the documents. If there could be direct assistance from officers in the field,” he said.
The program is funded through the Batam City Regional Budget (APBD) with a contribution of IDR 16,800 per fisherman each month. This program aims to provide work protection for fishermen who face high risks at sea every day.
The Head of the Batam City Fisheries Service, Yudi Admajianto, said that the requirements still apply to ensure that assistance is targeted and that there are no duplicate recipients.
“These requirements are needed to ensure that those who receive it are indeed active fishermen and in accordance with the data,” he said.
This program is supported by BPJS Ketenagakerjaan and funded by the Batam City Government through the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD).
Yudi added that data collection is carried out strictly using the Population Identification Number (NIK) to prevent duplicate recipients and ensure that the program is well-targeted.
In addition, the local government recorded an increase in the number of recipients compared to the previous year, from 5,000 to 6,000 fishermen. In 2027, the Batam City Government plans to add approximately 500 participants.
Meanwhile, the Riau Islands Provincial Government through the Maritime and Fisheries Service (DKP) of Riau Islands also has a similar program that covers approximately 1,000 fishermen from Batam.
However, the government ensures that there will be no overlap in assistance recipients because all data has been integrated through the Population Identification Number (NIK).
The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla RI) met with fishermen from Pulau Terong, Batam to request information following the incident of Indonesian fishermen being expelled by the Singapore Police Coast Guard (SPCG).
The All-Indonesia Fishermen’s Association (HNSI) and the Singapore Consulate General in Batam agreed to hold a bilateral meeting.
Find out about BPJS Ketenagakerjaan 2025 deductions: JHT, JKK, JKM, JP, JKP. Detailed percentages and easy-to-understand salary calculations!