“President Prabowo is, God willing, scheduled to attend the peak of the 2026 May Day commemoration at the National Monument in Jakarta,” said Head of the Government Communication Agency Muhammad Qodari at a press conference on Wednesday.
Qodari said the president’s presence reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring workers’ voices are heard and addressed through policies.
He added that the government does not position itself in opposition to workers, but alongside them, and that the state acts as both a protector of labour and a supporter of job sustainability.
“The government wants to emphasize one thing: its position is not against workers, but together with workers. The state is present as a protector of workers and at the same time a guardian of job sustainability,” he said.
Qodari added that workers’ welfare and a healthy business climate are not contradictory, but two sides of the same goal. A strong business sector, he said, is essential to ensure job security and wage payments.
“If the business sector is not healthy, salaries cannot be paid. And vice versa,” he said.
Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Manpower Cris Kuntadi said this year’s International Workers’ Day is being held under the theme “Collaboration to Achieve Industrial Progress and Workers’ Welfare,” with the tagline “One Determination, One Goal, Prosperity Together.”
“Tagline: one determination, one goal, prosperity together,” he said.
Separately, newly appointed Minister of Environment and Forestry and labor activist Jumhur Hidayat said he will personally lead a convoy of tens of thousands of workers on motorbikes during the May Day rally in Jakarta.
“I plan to, since it is a public holiday. If I am indeed appointed, on that holiday I will ride a motorbike leading around 40,000 workers from Jakarta,” Jumhur said at the presidential palace complex on Monday (April 27).
He said he remains committed to taking part in the peaceful demonstration, which will be centered at Monas. This year’s May Day, he added, also serves as an opportunity to highlight government policies seen as more favourable to workers.
According to Jumhur, workers’ aspirations are increasingly being accommodated by the state, including plans to establish a Task Force on Layoff Mitigation through a presidential decree.
Beyond welfare issues, he also called for stricter regulations on outsourcing, saying reforms are needed to ensure greater fairness for workers across Indonesia.
Read: Prabowo Plans Rp20 Million per Unit for Home Renovation Program
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
