InfoSAWIT, SANGGAU – The Government of Sanggau has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening labor protection in the palm oil plantation sector, amid continued vulnerability to labor exploitation in remote plantation areas.
The commitment was highlighted during a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on Mapping Stakeholders for Strengthening Worker Protection Mechanisms and Preventing Forced Labor, Modern Slavery, and Human Trafficking. The event was held at the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bapperida) Hall of Sanggau Regency on Monday (January 26).
The FGD was officially opened by Susana Herpena, who stressed that while the palm oil industry plays a strategic role in both national and regional economies, it continues to face serious challenges related to the fulfillment of workers’ rights.
According to Susana, labor protection remains a critical issue, particularly in plantation areas located far from government centers and public services, making workers more vulnerable to various forms of exploitation.
“The palm oil sector is strategic for the economy, but labor protection—especially in remote plantations—remains a major challenge,” Susana said, as quoted by InfoSAWIT from the Sanggau Regency Government on Tuesday (January 27, 2026).
She noted that limited access to transportation, worker assistance services, and labor supervision increases the risk of exploitation, including workplace violence and indications of human trafficking practices.
Susana emphasized that strengthening worker protection mechanisms cannot be carried out by a single party alone. Cross-stakeholder synergy is therefore essential to building a more effective and responsive protection system.
“Stronger collaboration among stakeholders is needed so that plantation workers do not remain a group vulnerable to exploitation,” she said.
She added that Sanggau Regency already has a Task Force for the Prevention and Handling of Human Trafficking. Moving forward, the task force will be reinforced through the formulation of a Regional Action Plan to serve as an operational guideline and strengthen on-the-ground coordination.
Through this FGD, the local government aims to map out the roles, authorities, and responsibilities of each stakeholder, ensuring that efforts to protect palm oil plantation workers’ rights are more focused and measurable.
The initiative aligns with Sanggau’s development vision of being advanced, sustainable, and equitable, placing social justice and the protection of vulnerable groups at the core of its development agenda.
The Sanggau Regency Government also expressed appreciation to Teraju Indonesia and Yayasan Integritas Justitia Madani Indonesia for facilitating the FGD, describing the forum as a tangible form of collaborative support in strengthening labor rights protection in the palm oil sector. (T2)
