Batam Mayor Appreciates Workers' City Cleanup Action on May Day

Batam (ANTARA) - The Mayor of Batam, Riau Islands (Kepri) Amsakar Achmad, appreciated the International Labour Day (May Day) commemoration action carried out by the workers’ union through collecting rubbish and taking it to the final disposal site (TPA). According to Amsakar, the action held by the Federation of Metal, Electronics, and Machine Workers’ Union of All Indonesia (FSP LEM SPSI) in Batam City and Kepri shows the constructive role of workers not only in the economic sector but also in environmental care. “The action carried out by SPSI is very good for commemorating May Day. They show that labour activists in Batam think constructively and consider the region,” said Amsakar in Batam on Friday. He assessed that the activity aligns with the national Indonesia ASRI (Safe, Healthy, Clean, Beautiful) programme championed by the President in February. “Last year they planted mangroves, now they are cleaning the city. This is in line with the Indonesia ASRI programme. This is an extraordinary synergy between workers and the government,” he said. In the action, the workers’ union deployed a total of 28 vehicles consisting of 23 pickup units and five dump truck units to transport rubbish to the final disposal site (TPA). “We appreciate it because labour activists directly respond to national-level policies and implement them locally,” he said. He added that relations between the government and workers’ unions in Batam have so far been conducive, including in setting the city minimum wage (UMK) and sectoral minimum wage (UMS). “We want to show that workers not only play a role in the economy but also have social responsibilities towards cleanliness and environmental health,” he said. He added that the activity is expected to serve as an example for workers’ unions in other regions. “SPSI Kepri and Batam are expected to become role models for similar activities in Indonesia,” he said. On the other hand, the Kepri Police Chief, Inspector General Pol Asep Safrudin, emphasised that the May Day commemoration in the Riau Islands region ran safely and conducively. “Labour Day becomes a momentum to reflect on the role of workers while maintaining a conducive investment climate. We agree to maintain unity and carry out positive activities,” he said. The activity was attended by elements of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) of Batam City and Riau Islands Province as a form of support for the synergy between workers and the local government. In addition to that activity, Forkopimda also attended the workers’ event held by the Indonesian Metal Workers’ Union Federation (FSPMI) in Batam-Kepri.