Commission V: Reducing applicator cut to 8 percent a step towards ojol welfare

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Chairman of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives Ridwan Bae stated that President Prabowo Subianto’s policy of reducing the applicator’s cut to 8 percent is a concrete step towards improving the welfare of online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers. Ridwan, as per a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday, appreciated the President’s directive. The adjustment to the applicator’s commission scheme is deemed beneficial for ojol drivers as it allows for a larger and more proportional share of income. “Commission V of the DPR RI appreciates the President’s instruction regarding the plan to reduce the applicator’s cut. This policy will certainly be very beneficial for ojol drivers and serves as a concrete step to enhance their welfare,” he said. If the policy is officially established, Ridwan emphasised that all applicators must implement it consistently. The policy must be accompanied by clear implementation commitments so that its benefits are truly felt by the drivers. According to him, the government’s decision to reorganise the applicator’s commission scheme demonstrates the state’s bias towards digital informal sector workers who have long been the backbone of app-based transportation services. Therefore, he assessed that the implementation of the regulation must be accompanied by supervision to avoid creating new imbalances between applicators and driver partners. “If this regulation is established, it must be implemented by the applicators. The government has certainly considered the interests of all parties, both applicators and drivers, so its implementation must run fairly and consistently,” Ridwan said. Commission V of the DPR RI, he continued, fully supports the government’s steps in improving the governance of the digital transportation sector, particularly those related to the welfare of driver partners. Ridwan stated that Commission V of the DPR RI also plans to summon related parties, including the Ministry of Transportation, to ensure that the policy can be implemented effectively and in favour of the drivers. On the other hand, this legislator who handles transportation affairs assessed that, in addition to encouraging the adjustment of the applicator’s cut, the government also needs to strengthen the social protection scheme for gig economy workers, including ojol drivers. Digital sector workers are deemed to need basic protection guarantees, such as work insurance and access to health services through BPJS Kesehatan. “Commission V supports the government in providing stronger protection to gig workers, including access to insurance and health guarantees. They are an important part of the digital economy ecosystem that must also receive state protection,” he said. The government’s attention to the welfare and protection of workers is hoped not to stop at the digital transportation sector alone, but also to be expanded to other productive sectors such as fishermen and farmers who equally need the state’s bias. Previously, President Prabowo Subianto had signed Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 27 of 2026 to cut the income deduction taken by applicator companies from online motorcycle taxi drivers to eight percent. “I say here, I do not agree with 10 percent, it must be below 10 percent,” said President Prabowo in his speech at the International Labour Day (May Day) commemoration 2026 at the National Monument, Jakarta, on Friday (1/5). According to the President, this policy is taken to defend the rights of ojol drivers who work hard every day and risk their lives on the roads. The profit-sharing scheme that has been in place so far still does not provide justice for the drivers. The President mentioned that applicators previously cut 20 percent from drivers’ income. Through this new regulation, the government sets a much lower new standard to increase the net income of online transportation workers.