Several legal experts, environmental activists, and academics are critical of the Omnibus Law Bill on Work Creation (RUU). According to them, there are still many points that the government must pay attention to if the bill is passed. This was conveyed by Dr. HM Busyro Muqoddas, M.Hum., Muhammadiyah Central Board of Director’s Chairman for Law and Human Rights, Nur Hidayati, National Executive Director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), and David Efendi, S.IP., MA., Lecturer in Government Sciences at UMY at the Public Webinar with the topic “Job Creation Omnibus Law Bill: Opposed, Continued and Forced”.
In the webinar organized by the Laboratory of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta’s Governmental Sciences Study Program (IP UMY Lab) on Friday (7/8), Busyro strongly criticized the steps taken by the government and the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI) which continued to discuss the Omnibus Law Bill on Work Creation. According to him, the Omnibus Law Bill on Work Creation cannot be separated from the fact based on a number of indications, which describes the components or elements of civil society in a state of dysfunction.
“When civil society experiences dysfunction, there is no longer any role for democracy in the sense of active democracy, which should be carried out by the DPR. However, we know that the DPR has become a representation of the strength of capital, “said the former member of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
In addition, Busyro said that there would be dangers awaiting if the Omnibus Law Bill on Work Creation was passed. “If the Omnibus Law Bill on Work Creation is enforced and is successful, we will get its political byproducts,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nur Hidayati said that the Omnibus Law Bill on Work Creation is like the ultimate move that destroys all joints or principles of good environmental and natural resource governance. “Walhi rejects the Omnibus Law Bill on Work Creation in principle and in spirit. We have reviewed this bill, and we see no drive to improve welfare. Even if the bill has “work creation” in its name, this bill serves to do the opposite,” said Mbak Yaya, her nickname.
On that occasion, Mbak Yaya also mentioned the role of students in guiding how the government is run, especially in guiding every policy issued by the government. “Students are an intellectual community, so they must criticize various government policies, because this concerns the future of the younger generation,” she said.
The last speaker at the webinar, David Efendi, focused on discussing the relationship between the Omnibus Law Bill on Work Creation and the future of the environment. He said that currently if an environmental activist has different views with the government, he must face the buzzers on social media.
David emphasized that many groups, including large organizations in Indonesia, have taken a stand to reject the Omnibus Law on Job Creation. “NU (Nahdlatul ‘Ulama) and Muhammadiyah have clearly rejected the Omnibus Law on Job Creation, but apparently greed is leading this country,” he said. (Bhk)
