Firm Stance! Said Iqbal to Report Ministers Failing Labour Welfare to Prabowo

Jakarta, VIVA – The Presidential Special Advisor for Labour and Worker Welfare, Said Iqbal, has asserted that he will not hesitate to report to President Prabowo Subianto if any minister fails to properly execute programmes related to labour welfare. This statement was made by Iqbal following his inauguration by President Prabowo at the State Palace, Central Jakarta, on Monday, 8 June 2026.

As a special advisor, Iqbal recognises that he is not an executor with the power to create policy. However, he maintains the mandate to analyse policies and evaluate the performance of ministers regarding labour issues. “I will certainly approach several ministers to discuss these matters because a presidential advisor cannot make decisions; we are not executors. However, we can ensure that if a minister is not working, we report it to the President. Whatever your role as a minister may be, if you are not performing, you should resign,” Iqbal told reporters, as cited on Tuesday, 9 June 2026.

Furthermore, Said Iqbal highlighted three crucial pillars regarding labour welfare. First is job security, which requires ensuring employment certainty for the Indonesian people. “Job opportunities must be created. The pro-growth economic growth must be balanced with pro-poor and pro-job initiatives. Therefore, we must have certainty in employment,” he stated.

Second is income security, or the certainty of earnings. Iqbal is committed to ensuring that workers receive decent wages. Third is social security. “These three areas will be our focus when providing advice, opinions, and policy analysis to the President regarding labour welfare. Among these, in the near future, there will be a draft labour law,” he concluded.