2024 Presidential Candidates a No-Show at Indonesia's May Day 2023 Event

JAKARTADAILY.ID – On May 1, 2024, Istora Senayan in Central Jakarta hosted the May Day Fiesta, also known as International Labor Day. However, the event did not witness the presence of the three 2024 presidential candidates, namely Ganjar Pranowo, Anies Baswedan, and Prabowo Subianto.

While two of the presidential candidates, Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan, were invited, they could not attend due to other commitments.

President of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) and the Labor Party, Said Iqbal, stated that Ganjar's absence was due to his political party's preoccupation with preparing for the upcoming election campaign.

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Iqbal revealed that Anies Baswedan was also invited but did not respond. Meanwhile, Prabowo Subianto was not invited at all because he was considered to support the approval of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

The demonstrators commemorating International Labor Day made seven demands, as stated by Said Iqbal.

The first demand was the revocation of the omnibus law of Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning Job Creation (Ciptaker).

The second demand was to reduce the parliamentary threshold to 4 percent and the presidential threshold to 20 percent, as the current requirements endanger the demonstrations.

The third demand was the ratification of the Draft Law (RUU) on the Protection of Domestic Workers (PPRT), and the fourth demand was the rejection of the Health Bill.

The fifth demand was for agrarian reform and food sovereignty, with the protesters rejecting the land bank and imports of rice, soybeans, and other products.

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The sixth demand was to choose a presidential candidate for the 2024 election who supports the labor and working class. Iqbal admitted that it was unlawful for the labor party to form a coalition with the political party that passed the Ciptaker Law.

The final demand, or the seventh, was HOSTUM, which involves removing outsourcing and rejecting low wages.

"The demands reflect the workers' struggle and fight to fulfill their rights, not only during May Day but every day," said Iqbal on May 1, 2023.