Jakarta cleans up after violent anti-labour law protests

AUTHORITIES in Jakarta were cleaning up burned-out cars, government offices and bus shelters that were set ablaze by protesters enraged over a new law they say will cripple labour rights and harm the environment.

Protests in many Indonesian cities turned violent on Thursday.

At least 20 bus stops and other transit facilities were destroyed in Jakarta, causing 55 billion rupiah (RM15.4mil) in damage, said Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan yesterday.

Calm has largely returned after the government warned protesters that it will not tolerate any further destruction or attacks on police and communities.

Labour organisers staged a threeday national strike on Tuesday to demand that the government revoke the legislation.

The Job Creation Law, approved by Parliament on Monday, is expected to substantially change Indonesia’s labour system and natural resources management.

It amended 79 previous laws and was intended to improve bureaucratic efficiency as part of efforts by President Joko Widodo’s administration to attract more investment.

The demonstrators say the law will hurt workers by reducing severance pay, removing restrictions on manual labour by foreign workers, increasing the use of outsourcing, and converting monthly salaries to hourly wages.

Joko told a televised news conference late on Friday that the new law was meant to improve workers’ welfare.

“What I see is that the widespread protest against the Job Creation Law is basically driven by disinformation about the law’s substance and social media hoaxes.

“I assure you that this is untrue. Workers’ leave still remains and is guaranteed,” he said.

He urged those who were dissatisfied with the new law to challenge it at the Constitutional Court and avoid protests.