Labor Protest Expected, Jakarta Metro Police Prepare Traffic Diversions

KatadataOTO – The Metro Jaya Regional Police will implement traffic engineering around the Palace, Constitutional Court, and the DPR RI today, Thursday (28/08). This measure is being taken to anticipate congestion due to a labor demonstration.

The large number of demonstrators in the protest requires the police to prepare thoroughly to ensure everything proceeds in an orderly manner.

"The concept for facilitating the expression of public opinion remains the same. So, the public is welcome to express their opinions in accordance with the law," said Police Grand Commissioner Komarudin, Director of Traffic for the Metro Jaya Regional Police.

Although preparing for traffic engineering, he admitted that its implementation is still situational. Everything must be adjusted according to the size of the crowd present.

Photo : Antara

If the crowd can share the road, traffic flow can continue to operate. However, if the protest is too large, traffic diversions will be implemented.

"Even if the crowd is large enough to occupy the full capacity of the road, we will implement diversions. So, it's still situational," he said.

He said that so far, no roads have been closed. However, he still urged the crowd not to enter the toll road because a previous incident caused long traffic jams and endangered motorists.

"We do not want the crowd to enter the toll road and disrupt traffic activities. This is certainly regrettable because it falls into the realm of law enforcement,” he said.

At that time, the police were forced to evacuate vehicles trapped on the toll road. The flow of vehicles was directed out through the exits in front of the Regional Police Headquarters, Tegal Parang, and Slipi.

“We had to get the vehicles off the toll road so they wouldn't be trapped in the middle of the conflict. Then, those coming from the west, we directed them out at Slipi," he explained.

It should be noted that today, thousands of laborers are planned to hold a demonstration in several locations, including the DPR RI building. The Labor Party and the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) will lead the activity.

Photo : NTMC

They will voice various issues, especially related to worker welfare. One of them is by demanding a minimum wage increase for 2026 of 8.5 percent to 10.5 percent.

The demonstrators are also demanding the abolition of the outsourcing work system and low wages, which are considered detrimental to workers.