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)