The Ministry of Manpower will report community organizations or groups acting as thugs that disrupt factory operations and investments in industrial areas to the police. 

Vice Minister of Manpower, Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan, emphasized that such actions cannot be tolerated and must be a concern for all parties.

He said further that disruptions to factories and investments are seen as hindering workforce absorption, leading to significant economic losses. 

“If job opportunities fail to materialize, we all suffer,” Immanuel spoke to Indonesia Business Post on Thursday, February 13, 2025.

Chairman of the Industrial Estate Association (HKI), Sanny Iskandar, previously revealed that many groups have disrupted factory operations with demonstrations and other actions that hinder production. Reports to security forces have been deemed ineffective in addressing this issue.

These group’s disturbances occur in various industrial areas such as Bekasi and Karawang in West Java, Batam in Riau Islands, and East Java, causing the cancelation of investment plans worth hundreds of trillions of rupiah.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry, Febri Hendri Antoni Arif, and Acting Governor of West Java, Bey Machmudin, confirmed that they have also received numerous similar complaints from industry players. 

Bey asked that mass organizations and thugs disrupting factory operations to be stopped immediately.

Meanwhile, Deputy for Investment Climate Development at the Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Riyatno, asked prospective investors to discuss solutions to this issue with his office.

State’s presence

Immanuel emphasized that the state must be present to ensure investment security and smooth workforce absorption. 

“Anyone who disrupts workforce absorption is an enemy of the people, a common enemy,” he said.