Apindo Urges Govt to Cancel Tapera; Says It Has Rejected the Policy Since 2016

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The DKI Jakarta Provincial Leadership Council (DPP) of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) is urging the government to cancel the public housing savings program (Tapera). Its chairman, Solihin, said they have been voicing their objections since 2016.

"Throughout the socialization of the Tapera program, since 2016, DPP Apindo DKI Jakarta has voiced its objections," Solihin said in a press conference at the DPP Apindo Jakarta office in Menteng, Jakarta, on Monday, June 10.

At the time, Solihin argued that the house construction facilities offered by Tapera were provided by BPJS Employment. BPJS Employment, he said, has similar facilities through the Additional Service Benefits (MLT) in the Old Age Security Program (JHT). Solihin said that before this regulation was passed, a number of ministries had invited DPP Apindo DKI Jakarta for a discussion. Apindo was shown the unpublished draft of the regulation, which it rejected, especially the article requiring private companies to participate.

At the time, Solihin argued that the home construction facilities offered by Tapera were already provided by BPJS Ketenagakerjaan through similar facilities that offered the Additional Service Benefits (MLT) in the Retirement Fund (JHT) program.

"The Tapera program overlaps with existing programs," he said.

According to Solihin, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan provides existing facilities that have not been optimally utilized. These include the provision of loans to build a house. He believes that if optimized, the funds will be large enough to meet the needs of workers.

Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing and Chairman of the BP Tapera Committee, said there was a possibility that the implementation of the Tapera program would be delayed until 2027. "In my personal opinion, if it is not ready, there is no need to rush," Basuki said after a working meeting with the DPR's Commission V on June 6.

But Solihin refuted Basuki's opinion, saying that no matter the timing of its implementation, Tapera will still make workers miserable. Therefore, he demanded that the implementation of Tapera not only be postponed, but revoked.

During the press conference, DPP Apindo DKI Jakarta was accompanied by a number of trade union federations (FSP) who also rejected Tapera, namely the FSP of Metal Electronics and Machinery (LEM/SPSI), the Indonesian Labor Awakening FSP (FKUI KSBSI), the National Workers' Union FSP (SPN/KSPI), the Indonesian Workers Unions Association (ASPEK Indonesia), the FSP for General Chemistry, Pharmacy, Health Industries (KIKES), and the FSP of Chemical Energy Mining (KEP).

HAN REVANDA PUTRA

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