Listen to the People

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Hundreds of workers held a demonstration in the East Jakarta Industrial Park area, Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java, Monday (5/10/2020). They reject the ratification of the Job Creation Bill.

The government and the House of Representatives (DPR) finally passed on Monday (5/10/2020) the controversial omnibus bill on job creation into law.

With the support of the majority of House factions, except the Democratic Party and the Prosperous Justice Party which walked out, the proposals made by Joko “Jokowi” Widodo administration and his coalition could be easily approved. Such a political mechanism has been seen since the success of the government and the House in revising several laws, such as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law, the Mineral and Coal Mining (Minerba) Law, the Constitutional Court (MK) which extends the term of office of the Constitutional Court l justices to 15 years, and the law on the simultaneous regional head elections on 9 Dec. 2020. The omnibus bill on job creation was passed during a plenary meeting chaired by the House Deputy Speaker Aziz Syamsuddin of the Golkar Party.

Also read: Job Creation Bill Not a Solution

We hope political parties do not take advantage of their dominance in the House to make political decisions that are not supported by the people. The omnibus bill on job creation, which revises a number of laws, is a constitutional experiment conducted by President Jokowi. With such complexity, it is not easy to understand the bill , which not only covers labor issues but other aspects such as halal products, nuclear power, spatial planning, immigration, patent rights, customary rights and a number of other issues. The omnibus bill on job creation not only shows a capitalistic view but also recentralization and etatisme (statism).

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Members of the Democratic Party Faction leave the room because they feel they are not accommodated when deliberation of the Job Creation Bill at the DPR RI plenary meeting at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday (5/10/2020).

The question is; why has the dialogue approach taken by that President Jokowi changed?

The success of the government and the House in passing a number of bills may reflect a manifestation of the democratic style of the elite, not participatory democracy. Political parties and the government feel they have the right to determine and formulate anything according to the wishes of the elite. Such a political approach is far from the principle of deliberative, consensus-oriented decision process as stipulated in the fourth principle of Pancasila. It is also far from the mechanism that prioritizes the negotiation process. People are only considered as mere political consumers.

Also read: The Political Dimension of the Omnibus Law

Such a democratic mechanism is far from the political practices conducted by President Jokowi. During the 2019 presidential debate, President Jokowi defined the democracy simply as listening to the voice of the people. Such a concept has been implemented by President Jokowi when he was the mayor of Solo such as during the negotiation with the people in the relocation of a market in the city. The question is; why has the dialogue approach taken by that President Jokowi changed?

Also read: The Omnibus Law for the People

The objection of civil society, labor organizations and indigenous peoples is a political reality. This nation clearly needs investment. However, it must be understood, investment will not work without the involvement of workers, especially when the pandemic is still unable to be controlled The discontented civil society, who feels that their aspirations are not heard , can challenge the new law through the Constitutional Court, without disturbing political stability.