Discussion on manpower bill delayed

Discussion on manpower bill delayed

JAKARTA (JP): The government has decided to postpone
parliamentary debate over the controversial manpower bill, which
has been widely criticized for allegedly curtailing workers'
rights. Insufficient time has been cited as an excuse.

Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief has requested that the House
of Representatives' Commission VI in charge of manpower and
industry postpone the discussion because he believed that "now
was not the right time," an official here said yesterday.

Sutikno said the minister "understands that at present the
House members are too busy with the discussion of other bills."

"This doesn't mean that the bill will be dropped, however,"
Sutikno said. "Discussing the bill takes time, and we cannot
force ourselves to discuss the bill in order to get immediate
results."

Further discussion may be postponed until after the May 29
general elections.

Commission chairman Erie Sukardja said on Wednesday the
minister's request did not necessarily mean that the House would
cease studying the bill.

The bill provoked strong reactions from workers and various
legal and labor organizations. They have argued that the bill has
striven to curtail the workers right to strike. (12)