Rieke PDIP Urges PPRT Bill to Be Enacted After Two-Decade Delay

Member of the DPR from the PDIP faction, Rieke Diah Pitaloka, urged that the Rancangan Undang-Undang Perlindungan Pekerja Rumah Tangga (RUU PPRT) be enacted this year. Rieke attended as Chairperson of the Confederation of Indonesian Workers’ People at the ongoing RUU meeting in the Legislative Body (Baleg) of the DPR, on Thursday, 5 March. She said the PPRT Bill must be able to address five crucial issues surrounding the environment of domestic workers (PRT).

‘The crucial issues in the PPRT Bill, the Protection of Domestic Workers Act, require addressing several fundamental questions,’ Rieke said in her briefing.

Firstly, the PPRT Bill must provide a clear definition of PRT in line with ILO Convention 189, which states that PRT are workers, not helpers, let alone maids.

Secondly, according to Rieke, the PPRT Bill must provide balanced rights and obligations between PRT and the employer. Thirdly, the Bill must regulate the obligations of the employment contract, civil society participation and PRT organisations.

Fourthly, Rieke added, the PPRT Bill must be able to prevent and address practices of violence against PRT.

Finally, the PPRT Protection for Domestic Workers Bill has waited more than 22 years in the legislative process. Rieke judged that the time has been too long if it is not enacted soon.

‘With the number of workers reaching millions, and economic contributions amounting to hundreds of trillions of rupiah each year, this two-decade delay cannot be regarded as a normal political dynamic in our view,’ she said.