DPR Accelerates Manpower Bill Deliberations During Recess

Jakarta, VIVA – The House of Representatives (DPR) of the Republic of Indonesia is accelerating deliberation of the Draft Law on Employment so that it can be finalised and passed into law promptly.

Deputy Speaker of the DPR Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal said Commission IX, which handles employment affairs, will receive input from various parties on the bill during next week’s recess.

“Commission IX has conveyed that there is an urgency to meet with several stakeholders. Their proposal is that, if anything must be deliberated, it should be done during the recess,” Cucun said at a press conference at the DPR building in Jakarta on Tuesday.

According to him, the input is needed so that the Employment Bill can soon be deliberated by the working committee, the deliberation body, and the leadership meeting.

It is understood that the Constitutional Court ordered the lawmakers to promptly draft a new employment law and separate it from Law Number 6 of 2023 on Job Creation.

The order was set out in Constitutional Court Decision Number 168/PUU-XXI/2023 concerning the judicial review of the Job Creation Law, delivered in October 2024.

The Court granted part of the petition filed by the Labour Party, the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers’ Unions (FSPMI), the All-Indonesian Workers’ Union Confederation (KSPSI), the Confederation of Indonesian Labour Unions (KPBI), and the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI).

The Court gave lawmakers a maximum of two years to comply with the order, meaning the government and the DPR must finalise the Employment Bill by 2026.

In its ruling, the Court also reminded that the drafting of the bill must involve the active participation of trade unions and workers.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of International Workers’ Day, or May Day, 2026, Deputy Speaker of the DPR Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said parliament and the government had agreed that the Employment Bill would be passed no later than the end of this year.

He also invited labour unions to provide input in the drafting of the bill, saying such input is important to ensure the resulting law is comprehensive.

“So that the law will not be futile and will not be challenged again at the Constitutional Court,” Dasco said during an audience with labour unions at the parliament complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday, 1 May 2026. (Ant)