TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said that discussions about the omnibus law on job creation had taken place since several years ago when he was the coordinating minister of politics, law, and security (Polhukam).

“This is simplifying overlapping regulations to make it more productive and efficient. To be totally honest, I started this when I was still the coordinating minister of Polhukam,” said Luhut Pandjaitan in a virtual discussion on Wednesday, October 21.

He held the position from August 2015 to July 2016. Luhut recalled that at the time there were many regulations that were overlapping and more than a few sparked corruption and inefficiencies, mainly in regulations overseeing licensing permits.

According to Luhut, experts were gathered to discuss solutions to the matter. “At the time I gathered Mahfud MD, Jimly Asshidiqie, Seno Aji, Sofyan Djalil, and Lambok at my office to find a solution."

The omnibus concept emerged after options to revise many overlapping laws individually were deemed unrealistic time-wise. The coordinating minister said Sofyan Djalil was the person who mentioned the omnibus law introduced in the United States.

“But because of the tight schedules, we were only able to discuss it again with the president late last year,” Luhut Pandjaitan recalled. “It was not instant but rather a lengthy process.”

Read: Omnibus Law Shortcomings Improved in Derivatives, Says Minister Luhut

CAESAR AKBAR