On Independence Day, Labour Association Urges Government on Three Key Points
The All-Indonesia Workers’ Association (Aspirasi) believes that independence for workers must be realised through decent work, fair wages, certainty in employment relations, social protection, and a more prosperous future. Therefore, on the occasion of Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day, Aspirasi is urging the government to take immediate concrete steps on three important matters.
First, Aspirasi President Mirah Sumirat said the government should promptly finalise and pass the Asset Forfeiture Bill. “Corruption not only steals state money and the people’s rights, but is also one of the main factors hampering investment and job creation,” she said in a statement received on Monday (17/8).
According to her, corrupt practices can increase economic costs, create uncertainty, and undermine legal certainty. Ultimately, this erodes the confidence of businesses and investors in Indonesia’s investment climate. “Yet healthy and quality investment is urgently needed to create new jobs and expand employment opportunities for the Indonesian people,” Mirah said.
Therefore, eradicating corruption must be an important part of the government’s strategy in building the economy and creating jobs. Mirah said the state must have strong legal instruments to pursue and seize assets derived from criminal proceeds. “Aspirasi urges the government and the Indonesian House of Representatives to promptly finalise and pass the Asset Forfeiture Bill, while upholding the principles of the rule of law, due process of law, and protection of citizens’ rights,” she explained.
Mirah wants investment to enter Indonesia not because of transactional practices or corruption, but because Indonesia has legal certainty, a clean government, a healthy business climate, and a productive and protected workforce. “Ultimately, eradicating corruption is not only a matter of law enforcement, but also a struggle to open up jobs, stop mass layoffs, improve workers’ welfare, and realise social justice for all Indonesian people,” she said.
Second, the government is urged to create as many decent and quality jobs as possible. According to her, independence loses its meaning if people still struggle to find work. The state cannot merely pursue economic growth figures, but must ensure that growth is capable of creating formal jobs that are decent, productive, sustainable, and provide certainty for workers’ futures.
“The government must strengthen national industry, encourage quality investment, protect labour-intensive sectors, and ensure that every economic policy has a real impact on job creation. Investment must produce jobs, not just economic growth figures,” she explained.
Third is the demand to stop mass layoffs and protect Indonesian workers. Aspirasi is concerned about the continuing wave of layoffs in various sectors. Amid economic pressures and industrial change, she said, workers must not always be the first to be sacrificed.
“We ask the government to strengthen labour supervision, encourage social dialogue between the government, employers, and trade unions, and ensure that every company policy affecting workers is carried out transparently and in accordance with statutory regulations,” she said.
According to her, independence must not only be felt by those with capital and power. Independence must be felt all the way to factories, offices, markets, villages, and the homes of Indonesian workers.
“At the age of 81 of the Republic of Indonesia, let us build an Indonesia that is truly independent: free from corruption, free from poverty, free from job uncertainty, and free from the fear of losing one’s job,” she concluded.