TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The president of the Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPI), Said Iqbal, has scrapped the planned demonstration to commemorate May Day on April 30, 2020, after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced the postponement of the discussions on the job creation bill’s (RUU Cipta Kerja) cluster regarding employment.

“Labor unions hereby declare that the rally is called off,” Iqbal told Tempo today, April 24.

On Wednesday, April 22, Iqbal, along with All-Indonesia Workers Union Confederation (KSPSI) president Andi Gani Nena Wea and the Indonesian Prosperity Trade Unions Confederation (KSBSI) president Elly Rosita Silaban, visited the President to discuss the controversial draft bill.

Earlier today, Jokowi confirmed he had talked with the House of Representatives (DPR) to postpone the discussions to further explore substances of the crucial articles and collect inputs from stakeholders.

Iqbal said KSPI and the Indonesian Labor Workers Assembly (MPBI) appreciated the President’s decision to heed the unions’ views on the bill. The postponement, he added, would be a momentum for the public, including workers, to maintain unity in combating COVID-19 and jointly set strategies to prevent layoffs due to the pandemic.

KSPSI President Andi Gani Nena Wea expressed his happiness over Jokowi's decision, recalling that Jokowi agreed that several things in the job creation bill needed to be reviewed.

BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI