The Government Responds to the 17+8 Movement’s Aspirations with a Commitment to Law Enforcement
By: Alexander Royce*)
Indonesia’s political and social life is currently facing a test through the demands of the people voiced through the 17+8 movement. The movement contains 17 short-term and 8 long-term demands, reflecting a strong aspiration for the government and state institutions to immediately address the needs of law, justice, and public welfare. The government, along with the House of Representatives (DPR), has demonstrated a concrete response that goes beyond rhetoric and is manifested in concrete steps that prioritize legal protection, social justice, and the interests of the people.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, has been a central figure in responding to demands related to the economic and labor sectors. In his public statement, he emphasized that the government is prioritizing several important issues contained in the 17+8 movement, including ensuring decent wages, preventing mass layoffs, and strengthening ongoing dialogue with labor unions and worker representatives.
Airlangga emphasized that regulations have been prepared to prevent mass layoffs. He stated that several industries, particularly in Java, could absorb an additional workforce of over 100,000 people if regulations and incentives are implemented as planned. For contract workers, employment protection facilities are still guaranteed, including those with one-year contracts, to prevent the abuse of short-term contracts that are detrimental.
Regarding the minimum wage and outsourcing practices, Airlangga promised to open a space for intensive dialogue with labor unions. This policy is expected to bridge the gap in formulating solutions that meet the needs of workers, especially contract workers who have historically been considered to have a weaker bargaining position.
On the legislative side, Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, demonstrated a proactive response to public pressure contained in the 17+8 Movement. The House of Representatives, through a joint leadership meeting with the factions, agreed to six key points in response to the people’s demands.
One concrete step is the termination of housing allowances for DPR members as of August 31, 2025. With the elimination of this facility, DPR members’ salaries and allowances will now amount to approximately IDR 65.5 million per month, after the reduction takes place. A moratorium on overseas working visits has also been imposed, except for state invitations, a measure to save money and meet public transparency demands.
Furthermore, the House of Representatives (DPR) will reduce member benefits such as electricity, telephone, communication, and transportation costs, while strengthening its commitment to transparency and public participation in all legislative and policy-making processes. Dasco also stated that the components of allowances and other related benefits will be attached and announced for the sake of transparency to the public.
Based on observations of the current situation, several developments have increasingly confirmed that the government is truly taking steps to strengthen legal protection for the people. One example is the provision of stimulus and social protection for workers with incomes below IDR 10 million through income tax (PPh) fully covered by the government, along with strengthening labor-intensive programs in various vulnerable sectors, and expanding subsidies for micro-enterprise credit, making it more accessible. The government also continues to maintain macroeconomic stability by ensuring inflation remains under control and the rupiah exchange rate remains stable, allowing greater room for the implementation of social security programs without placing undue pressure on state finances.
However, challenges remain. The implementation mechanism for regulations guaranteeing legal certainty for contract workers still requires strict monitoring to prevent exploitation or labor disputes. The implementation of the moratorium on House of Representatives (DPR) facilities and the elimination of member benefits must be followed by regular audits and public reports to ensure they are not merely temporary promises.
Furthermore, the DPR and government’s swift response to the demands of 17+8 also provides a positive example that public aspirations can be heard and responded to by state institutions in a concrete manner. Decisions such as the elimination of housing allowances and the moratorium on work visits demonstrate that the government focuses not only on numbers and regulations, but also on the sense of justice felt by the people.
Overall, the steps taken by the government and DPR currently reflect a real commitment to legal protection, demonstrating that worker protection and legal certainty are not mere slogans but part of meaningful public policy. If implementation continues to be strengthened, particularly inThrough dialogue with labor unions, oversight of DPR members’ facilities, and the provision of social security, the hopes of the 17+8 people will be more fully met.
Thus, the government’s response not only addresses the aspirations of the 17+8, but also emphasizes that, in a challenging national situation, the government is committed to protecting the rights of citizens, workers, and all elements of society through clear legal commitments and concrete actions. The current administration demonstrates that the responsibility to uphold justice is not an option, but an obligation.
*) The author is a social observer
