A press release published on The President of The Republic of Indonesia’s website has announced that President Prabowo Subianto attended the International Workers’ Day commemoration event held in the National Monument (Monas) area, Jakarta, on Thursday, May 1, 2025, an event attended by more than 200,000 laborers and workers from various regions, who came bringing a spirit of solidarity and joint struggle.
The Head of State emphasized the importance of the state’s presence in ensuring the welfare and justice of workers. The government will continue to work hard to create a fair, productive and sustainable employment system.
“We will work hard, so that all Indonesian citizens can get the best health services and can get the cheapest medicine, this is our struggle. We have seen, we have calculated, the wealth of the Indonesian nation is so great,” said the Head of State.
Responding to the six main demands submitted by the labor union, President Prabowo stated that he would follow up on all aspirations seriously and involve related ministries to conduct in-depth studies. The demands are the Elimination of the outsourcing system, Ratification of the Domestic Worker Protection Bill (PPRT), Revision of Law Number 13 of 2003 concerning Manpower, Realization of decent wages, Ratification of the Asset Confiscation Bill to eradicate corruption, and the Formation of the Termination of Employment Task Force (Satgas PHK).
“I want to give a gift to the workers today. I will immediately form a national workers’ welfare council that will consist of all labor leaders throughout Indonesia. Their task is to study the conditions of workers and advise the President on which laws are not right, which do not protect workers. Which regulations are not right, they give me input and we will fix them immediately,” the President added.
The President also said that on the advice of labor leaders, the government will soon form a Termination of Employment (PHK) task force. The President emphasized that workers will not accept termination of employment easily and ensured that the state will intervene directly regarding this demand.
In addition to the law on layoffs, the government will also discuss the law on protection of workers at sea, in the fishing industry, and protection of workers on ships. “We will soon pass the bill on the protection of Domestic Workers, the deputy chairman of the DPR who was present, Mr. Dasco reported to me that next week this bill will be discussed soon. Hopefully in no more than 3 months, the law will be completed soon,” he said.
On the same occasion, President Prabowo also conveyed his determination to continue to try to eliminate corruption from the land of Indonesia. He also emphasized his support for the Asset Confiscation Law which is one of the demands of laborers and workers at this momentum.
“I support the asset confiscation law, I support it. It’s easy to steal and not want to return the assets,” he said.
Source: The President of The Republic of Indonesia website, BPMI Presidential Secretariat
Photo: BPMI Setpres/Rusman
