Labour Leader Says Marsinah Museum Built Without State Budget Funds
“This museum was built without using the state budget. It is the result of collaboration from the entire extended family of KSPSI Andi Gani throughout Indonesia. No regional or state budget funds were used,” said Andi Gani after the inauguration of the Marsinah Museum, Saturday (16/5/2026).
He explained that the total budget for the construction of the museum reached almost 3.8 billion Rupiah. According to him, this also refutes the stigma that labourers are always in a difficult condition.
“The total budget reached almost 3.8 billion Rupiah. Don’t think of labourers as being poor or struggling. Labourers have very independent capabilities. We prove it today, the President is here, and we have built a very magnificent museum,” he said.
He said that the funding came from the labour cooperative base managed by KSPSI AGN, with total assets reaching 2.1 trillion Rupiah. Andi Gani also assured that all funds would be managed transparently for the benefit of members.
“Friends, don’t forget that KSPSI AGN has a very strong cooperative base. The total cooperatives from all the work units we have reached 2.1 trillion Rupiah. All of this is for the welfare of labourers, no central leadership takes anything, I assure you,” he said.
According to him, the construction of the Marsinah Museum is a form of respect for Marsinah’s struggle as a symbol of the Indonesian labour movement.
“This is our form of respect for Marsinah as a labour fighter. This is our form of respect, because Marsinah was a member of KSPSI PT Catur Putra Surya,” he said.
Andi Gani added that the museum will be open to the public free of charge every day from 10:00 to 17:00 WIB. Its management also involves Marsinah’s family and a foundation established by KSPSI East Java.
On the same occasion, Andi Gani also expressed his appreciation to President Prabowo Subianto for attending the inauguration of the museum and paying his respects at Marsinah’s grave.
“This is an extraordinary form of respect from the state for the struggle of labourers and for Marsinah,” he said.
Andi Gani emphasized that KSPSI will continue to maintain an independent and critical attitude towards government policies that are considered not in favour of labourers.
“This is proof of closeness, I may be close to President Prabowo Subianto, but we remain independent. We may support the President, but we remain critical,” he said.
Not only the museum, KSPSI also built a guesthouse in the area. Andi Gani said that the facilities of the guesthouse are equivalent to a 3- or 4-star hotel and are provided free of charge for pilgrims who come from outside the city.
“Friends may have to cover the guesthouse, it’s almost a 3- or 4-star level. The facilities are amazing,” said Andi Gani.
“Because I heard the story that labour pilgrims from outside the city sleep crowded together on mats. That’s why we built a guesthouse for pilgrims without charging them,” he concluded.