Rieke Outlines Four Main Reasons Why the PPRT Bill Should Be Enacted Immediately

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - A member of Commission XIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the PDI-P faction, Rieke Diah Pitaloka, has outlined four main reasons why the Rancangan Undang-Undang Perlindungan Pekerja Rumah Tangga (RUU PPRT) should be promptly enacted by the DPR RI.

According to Rieke, the first reason concerns the constitutional obligation of the state to provide protection to every citizen in the employment relationship. “First, within the constitutional framework, that the state has a constitutional obligation to guarantee protection for every citizen in the employment relationship. It is in Article 27(2), Article 28(2) indeed, guaranteeing the right to fair and decent treatment in the employment relationship,” Rieke said during the public hearing on the RUU PPRT held by the Legislation Body (Baleg) of the DPR RI, on Thursday (5/3/2026).

“With this, worker protection is not merely a social policy, but a constitutional mandate that must be realised through adequate regulation,” she said.

The second reason, she continued, relates to the large number of domestic workers and their contribution to the national economy. Rieke noted that Indonesia has around 5.2 million migrant workers abroad, and around 2.5 million to 3 million of them work as domestic workers. The head of the Indonesian Working People’s Confederation also highlighted the significant contribution of migrant workers to the economy through remittances. Although they contribute greatly, the sector is seen as having weak legal protection.

“According to Bank Indonesia data, remittances of Indonesian migrant workers in 2024 reached about 15.7 billion US dollars, or around Rp 253 trillion, representing around 10 percent of Gross Domestic Product,” she said. In that opportunity, Rieke also pointed out Indonesia’s position that it has yet to ratify ILO Convention No. 189 on decent work for domestic workers.

The third reason relates to a wrong paradigm in viewing domestic work. “The status of domestic workers has not been recognised as workers, so they do not have access to basic workers’ rights,” she said.

Read also: Menaker Ungkap RUU PPRT Jadi Konsen Presiden Prabowo