Draft law on deferral of labor law filed with House

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Fahmi Idris has submitted to the House of Representatives a draft law which seeks to defer the enforcement of the manpower law which his predecessor Abdul Latief introduced in 1997 amid allegations of bribery.

The draft law, containing two chapters, was submitted to a House plenary session chaired by Deputy House Speaker Ismail Hasan Metareum on Tuesday.

Chapter I stipulates that the enforcement of the law, which sparked public opposition during its deliberation, be deferred from Oct. 1, 1998 to Oct. 1, 1999, in order to allow time to revise it.

Chapter II appeals to the House to allow one year for the government to immediately enforce the bill -- which effectively means to postpone the implementation of the 1997 law.

Fahmi cited public criticism and the "latest developments in 1998" as the reasons for the decision to postpone the law.

Fahmi said the law had to be revised because it was against the International Labor Organization (ILO) convention on freedom of association ratified by Indonesia in June.

"The law recognizes that only the Federation of the All Indonesian Workers Union (FSPSI). Since the ratification of the ILO convention, we now have 11 labor unions," he said.

The minister said the law sparked fierce criticism from labor unions, workers, non-governmental organizations and employers.

"With the new developments and criticism, we hope the House will be willing to discuss the draft and pass it," he said.

Labor unions, workers and NGOs have criticized the controversial law and demanded the government revise it because it did not guarantee workers' rights.

The Association of Indonesian Employers (Apindo) has also expressed objections to the law, saying its tone was "too emotional".

The law threatens a stiffer punishment of a maximum of four months imprisonment or a fine of between Rp 50 million and Rp 400 million for employers who violate it. (rms)