Delaying the deliberation of the PPRT bill, which has been studied for 19 years, must be based on reasons that are really strong and not merely a political sentiment.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, Lestari Moerdijat, urged the House of Reprensentatives (DPR) to announce a schedule for deliberations on the domestic workers' protection (PPRT) bill.

"At DPR's plenary meeting on Tuesday, it was conveyed by the Speaker that the discussion for scheduling the deliberation of the PPRT bill has finished in the (DPR's) Deliberative Body," she said in a statement on Thursday (February 16).

"To avoid misunderstanding, we hope the DPR Speaker will immediately give a definite schedule regarding the PPRT bill's deliberation," she added.

In accordance with the code of conduct, there is no further reason for the DPR to delay the ratification of the PPRT bill as a DPR-proposed bill, Moerdijat said.

She noted that MPR has received aspirations of several elements of the community, who have expressed the hope that the parliament will listen to the voice of the people regarding the acceleration of deliberations on the PPRT bill.

She added that the community deserves to know the time for the deliberations.

"Delaying the deliberation of the PPRT bill, which has been studied for 19 years, must be based on reasons that are really strong and not merely a political sentiment," she stated.

Moerdijat also stressed that the deliberations on the PPRT bill need to be carried out immediately amid the increasing number of domestic workers falling victim to violence and slavery, with some of them even dying on account of it.

As per the National Advocacy Network for Domestic Workers (Jala PRT), 10 to 11 domestic workers are reporting violence every day.

Earlier, Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah informed that the PPRT bill was initiated by the DPR in 2004–2009, and it finally became a priority of the National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) for 2019–2024.

The minister said that so far, the legal basis for domestic workers has been regulated by the Manpower Minister's Regulation Number 2 of 2015 on the protection of domestic workers.

However, the regulation does not specifically cover social security provided by employers to domestic workers.

Related news: Minister urges DPR to ratify bill on domestic worker protection

Related news: Domestic workers vulnerable to job, health loss amid pandemic

Translator: Tri Meilani, Raka Adji
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
Copyright © ANTARA 2023