My friends, we understand and are striving to further increase the Jakarta provincial minimum wage to be higher than the current formula
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Governor of Anies Baswedan attempted to mollify hundreds of workers protesting against the decision of provincial minimum wage (UMP) 2022 in front of the Jakarta City Hall on Monday.

After meeting the press, Baswedan dressed in the uniform of Indonesian Civil Servants Corps (Korpri) walked from the City Hall building to the Merdeka Selatan Street where the workers' protest was underway.

The governor also sat on the asphalt road before tendering an explanation to the group of protesters.

"My friends, we understand and are striving to further increase the Jakarta provincial minimum wage to be higher than the current formula," he stated.


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Baswedan explained that his team had proposed to Manpower Minister, Ida Fauziah, to review again the formula to determine the 2022 provincial minimum wage.

The governor believes that the formula for UMP determination, based on the Government's Regulation (PP) No. 36 of 2021, is unfit to be applied in Jakarta Province.

"This formula is not appropriate to be applied in Jakarta. Hence, we have sent a letter (to the manpower minister) that its formula should proffer a sense of justice. Now, it is in the discussion phase," he explained.

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Based on Government's Regulation No. 36 of 2021 on determination of the provincial minimum wage rise, Jakarta's UMP rise next year only reaches Rp37,749 or 0.85 percent, increasing the minimum salary to Rp4,453,935 per month.

The workers were of the view that the almost-Rp38 thousand increase was inappropriate and unfair, considering the increase in the cost of the workers' living requirements on account of Jakarta's inflation at 1.14 percent.

After speaking for some 15 minutes, Baswedan shook hands with the workers and then headed back to his office.

The workers then continued their protests by singing a song and lighting colorful flares.

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Translator: Mentari G, Kenzu T
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021