Protesters demand expulsion of activist

Protesters demand expulsion of activist

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam

Around 1,000 protesters marched outside the Batam mayor's
office in Riau on Thursday, demanding that an independent labor
leader be evicted from the island, known for its industry,
following a recent rally he had led to oppose the city's new
minimum wage.

The demonstrators said Bambang Yulianto, who heads the Batam
branch of the Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (SBSI), should be
expelled from the city because of his allegedly rude behavior and
remarks against Malay people there.

Wearing white headbands and carrying anti-SBSI banners, they
also urged the Batam government to disband Bambang's
organization. "Expel Bambang Yulianto from Batam. He is a
provocateur," the demonstrators shouted.

The protest was apparently held to counter an earlier rally on
Dec. 29 organized by Bambang, which urged the local
administration, businessmen and the city's manpower office to
review the new minimum wage.

Under the recent tripartite agreement, Batam's minimum wage
was raised to Rp 535,000 from Rp 510,000 per month.

The protest forced Batam Mayor Nyat Kadir to delay attending a
post-Idul Fitri get-together function with Malay ethnic residents
for several hours on Dec. 29.

As a result, Thursday's demonstrators, including Malay ethnic
residents, accused Bambang of "belittling" the event.

Ahmad Mipon, leader of the Malay Legion, said Bambang and his
SBSI members should not have staged such a protest as it had
disrupted the gathering.

"We appreciate the struggle of the workers, but remember that
we should also be respected," Mipon told Thursday's protesters
who arrived at the scene in convoy at 09:12 a.m., on bicycles and
trucks.

Deputy Batam Mayor Asman Abnur met the demonstrations and told
them that their demand for the expulsion of Bambang would be
decided by the court.

"I ask you all to return to your respective places of work.
The issue of Bambang will be settled from a legal standpoint" he
said.

In a response to the demand, Bambang said he would not leave
Batam, whatever dangers he might face. "I will stay here to the
end because what I have done so far is purely to support the
struggle of the workers."

He criticized the mayor for evading the SBSI-led protesters
who comprised diverse individuals, and instead attending the
Malay event.

Earlier on Wednesday, leaders of SBSI and the Riau Malay
Tribal Institute (LAMR) agreed to forgive each other and allow
Bambang to stay in Batam.

It was not clear who had organized Thursday's protest. Many
demonstrators declined to reveal the organizers' names. "Most of
the protesters refuse to say who was behind the mass action," a
local policeman said.

However, the protest was believed to have blocked SBSI's
campaign for a better minimum wage in the city, about 20
kilometers from Singapore.

Meanwhile, head of the Batam manpower office Arifin said a
tripartite meeting had rejected SBSI's demand for a review of the
new minimum wage.

"The decision is final. It's impossible to change a decision
because of a groundless argument. And if we further raise the
minimum wage, many investors have threatened to leave Batam."