TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Metro Jaya Police stated that they would not issue a permit for a series of demonstrations planned by workers against the Job Creation bill before the House of Representatives (DPR) building on October 6-8, 2020.

“Metro Jaya Police will not release the permit for rallies,” said the police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus on Monday, October 5.

Workers planned to take to the streets to fight against the House’s deliberation on the Job Creation Bill or RUU Cipta Kerja. “We carry out anticipatory and blocking measures.”

The police did not issue a rally permit considering Jakarta was enforcing the Large-Scale Social Restriction (PSBB) in an effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy noted a prohibition of mass gatherings.

“We appeal to all demonstrators to not go for a demonstration today until October 8 because we do not issue the permit,” said Yusri.

Dozens of leaders of workers’ confederations and federations on Sunday, September 27, held a meeting and agreed to hold a national strike as a form of objection to the omnibus law.

The Confederation of Indonesian Workers Union (KSPI) chairman Iqbal Said said the session was attended by 32 federations of labor unions and several federations including SP LEM (Metal, Electronics, and Machinery Workers Union) and the National Welfare Movement (Gekanas) which consists of 17 federations.

Some 5 million workers from thousands of companies across 25 provinces and 300 regencies or cities planned to join the national strike starting from Tuesday until Thursday, October 6-8, 2020.

Read also: Labor Rally Against Omnibus Law, Police Close Roads to DPR Building

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH