Latief dismisses criticism over jailed labor leader

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief dismissed yesterday international criticism over the jailing of labor leader Muchtar Pakpahan.

Indonesia had come under fire from several countries at last week's International Labor Organization (ILO) meeting.

"Indonesia did not face serious challenges (at the meeting), just the usual countries and non-governmental organizations questioned the jailing of Muchtar Pakpahan," Latief said after meeting President Soeharto at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Latief said "we explained the whole matter" at the ILO meeting in Geneva. He did not elaborate.

Pakpahan, whose Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union is not recognized by the government, was charged with subversion after riots here last July in which at least five people died and more than 100 were injured.

The riots were sparked by the storming of the Indonesian Democratic Party's headquarters by a rebel party faction backed by the military and the government.

Pakpahan was arrested in his East Jakarta home on July 30 and has been in detention ever since. His trial has been adjourned because he is in hospital with a lung ailment.

Pakpahan is also serving a four-year jail term, imposed for inciting labor unrest in April 1994 in North Sumatra, which became effective last November.

Manpower bill

Latief also told Soeharto about the manpower bill, which was recently submitted to the House of Representatives.

Latief said Soeharto had questioned him about criticism of the bill.

"The bill is still being deliberated by the House, so why have people condemned it as harming workers' interests?" Latief quoted Soeharto as asking.

Latief said the President wanted all parties to learn to work within the system. "If there are disagreements or differences in perceptions, they should lodge them with the House factions so that they (the complaints) can also be discussed," Soeharto said.

"The government is taking an accommodative stance in this issue... the factions can discuss them (the complaints) with the government," Soeharto said. "Don't think the government ignores this (issue)."

Latief said that from the beginning he had called for careful and thorough deliberation of the bill.

Several non-governmental organizations have protested that some of the bill's chapters threaten workers' rights.

The Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute has urged the House to cancel deliberation of the bill because the current term of office expires Sept. 30.

In a discussion Tuesday, the foundation called on legislators to defer the bill's deliberation until after new House legislators were inducted on Oct. 1.

"We don't think the current House members will have enough time to discuss the bill or even hold a meeting with workers," said Munir, the foundation's secretary for operational affairs. (11/06/swe)