Deputy Minister of Manpower: Applicators Must Fulfill THR Demands for “Ojol”

JAKARTA, KOMPAS —  Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer stated that the demand for the Holiday Allowance or THR voiced by online motorcycle taxi drivers is a rational demand. Therefore, his party encourages the application companies to meet their demands in the form of bonuses and incentives in cash.

"This is the most rational demand that online motorcycle taxi drivers are fighting for. In our opinion, this is a logical and reasonable demand. Bonuses or whatever they are called, when they reach their families during Eid, will be very meaningful. What we hope for, whatever the name, is no longer rice and other (goods), but in the form of money," said Immanuel when meeting online motorcycle taxi drivers (known as online motorcycle taxis or ojol) who were demonstrating in front of the Ministry of Manpower office, Monday (2/17/2025), in Jakarta.

Furthermore, added Immanuel, the Ministry of Manpower will continue discussions on regulations that recognize app-based public transportation drivers as employees, not as partners. Such recognition follows steps already taken by other countries, such as Singapore. The plan is for the discussion of these regulations to begin after Eid al-Fitr in 2025.

"There must be legal standing for drivers of application-based transportation services. Some countries have started to consider them as workers (not application partners)," he said.

The Chairperson of the Indonesian Transport Workers Union (SPAI), Lily Pujiati, who participated in the demonstration, stated that they reject the partnership relationship that promises flexibility. This is because flexibility in the partnership is a pretext used by application companies to avoid the obligation of paying holiday allowances and workers' rights to online motorcycle taxi drivers, online taxi drivers, and couriers.

Lily added that for 11 years, online transportation service drivers have been fighting for the government to create specific labor regulations for them. In fact, online drivers significantly contribute to the economy. The online transportation service platform business generates high profits, but at the expense of the drivers' welfare.

"We feel enslaved by the practice of argogoceng (long and short distance fare of Rp. 5,000) and slot (dividing areas) because it results in cheap rates and is very detrimental to us," said Lily.

Furthermore, he continued, several applicators threatened drivers who participated in illegal demonstrations with termination of their partnership status. Such threats instill fear in the drivers.

In addition to the demand for holiday allowances, the demonstration also called on the government to uphold the rights of drivers in accordance with Law Number 13 of 2003 on Manpower, such as decent work and wages. The protesters also urged the government to fulfill the drivers' social security rights.

Indonesian Labor Institute analyst Rekson Silaban, separately, opined that both types of platform workers, namely location-based and computer-based, are regulated simultaneously in the revision of Law No. 13/2003. In addition to app-based transportation service drivers, there are also millions of other workers who receive jobs from the internet, such as translators and virtual assistants.

"Thus, the regulation of basic rights protection becomes uniform and easy to monitor. In Singapore and many other countries, the regulation is made in the Law on employment. However, if you want it to be fast, the government can make regulations for drivers of application-based transportation services through the Law on the Protection of Platform Workers," said Rekson.

Until this news was written, a number of representatives from online transportation application companies who were asked for their response by Kompas had not yet responded.