Top Business and Labour Leaders Meet, Plan Overseas Study Trip for Manpower Bill

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Labour and business groups have begun to find common ground in the discussion of the Draft Manpower Bill (RUU Ketenagakerjaan). The Grand Coalition of Indonesian Labour Struggle (KBPBI) and the Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo) have agreed to form a joint drafting team. The formulation of the new regulation must consider the interests of both parties in a balanced manner.

The agreement emerged during a meeting between KBPBI and the Apindo National Executive Board at the KBPBI Joint Secretariat Office in Tebet, South Jakarta, on Wednesday (12/8/2026). The meeting was attended by Apindo Chairwoman Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, Apindo Head of Manpower Bob Azam, Apindo Head of Regulation and Institutional Relations Committee Myra M Hanartani, Apindo Deputy Head of Manpower Darwoto, Apindo Expert Council Member Anton J Supit, and Apindo Manpower Committee Chair Subchan Gatot.

“We want to form a joint drafting team to formulate the Manpower Law,” said Andi Gani Nena Wea, President of the All-Indonesia Workers’ Union Confederation (KSPSI), in a statement on Thursday (13/8/2026).

Beyond drafting a joint formulation, both parties also agreed to conduct a comparative study to countries that are Indonesia’s competitors in attracting investment, namely Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The study will be used to observe how these countries regulate industrial relations, create an investment climate, while safeguarding the interests of workers and employers.

“We will learn together and find their point of view. Why investment there can be more advanced and more developed, what the government provides, what kind of space the state gives to employers and labour unions,” he explained.

Andi said the discussion of the Manpower Bill should not begin by widening the differences between workers and employers. Both parties instead want to find common ground that can serve as the basis for drafting the regulation.

“We are not looking for differences here, we are looking for common ground. How to ensure this Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia rises again, investment continues to grow, and workers are also protected,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Apindo Chairwoman Shinta Widjaja Kamdani assessed that the drafting of the Manpower Bill must consider the long-term needs of the world of work, including business sustainability and job creation. Shinta said both parties hope to have a mutually agreed draft within about two weeks or by the end of August at the latest.

“We must target the end of this month. Two weeks from now. In principle, we will have a joint draft that has been agreed upon and will be submitted to the DPR together,” she explained.

Both labour and business groups also see that Indonesia’s main challenge does not stem from competition between workers and companies domestically. The greater competition actually comes from other countries that are equally striving to attract investment and create jobs.

“Our competition is with other countries, not among ourselves. So, how can we further improve Indonesia’s competitiveness to compete with our neighbouring countries,” Shinta concluded.