Walhi Rejects Palace Invitation on Job Creation Bill Meeting
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3 March 2020 12:58 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) rejected the meeting invitation to discuss the drafts of the omnibus law on job creation. The call dated Tuesday, March 3, was sent by the Presidential Staff Office Deputy V.
“[This is because] the policy is drafted to protect the investment by cutting down regulations that are considered to be hindering,” said Walhi executive director Nur Hidayati in a written statement, Tuesday, March 3.
Nur explained that the bill that had been submitted to the legislative reflected the poor commitment of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on environmental preservation. Besides, the government seemed to neglect the environmental crisis solely for investment affairs.
The regulations, she asserted, should be designed to improve the governance in a bid to protect the rights of citizens. Before refusing to attend the meeting, Walhi had voiced criticism over the bill.
According to Nur, several points in the bill were not urgent and irrelevant to be passed. She then demanded President Jokowi withdraw the presidential letter and revoke it. “We also urge the House of Representatives (DPR) to refuse discussions of the drafts,” she asserted.
Earlier, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar clarified that the government would not remove the environmental impact analysis or Amdal in the drafts of the job creation omnibus law. She said the government would set specific standards as the business requirements for investors.
FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA