Jakarta, Indonesia – The Indonesian Online Motorcycle Taxi Association (SPAI) asserts that representatives of ride-hailing drivers who met with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka on August 31, 2025, were not representatives elected by or affiliated with established workers’ unions. The claim casts doubt on the legitimacy of the meeting adn the extent too wich the drivers accurately reflected the concerns of the broader ojol (online motorcycle taxi) workforce.
SPAI National Coordinator Lily Subagyo stated that drivers should be presenting the aspirations of the ride-hailing companies if selected and trained by those platforms, rather than claiming to represent the workers themselves. She revealed that she spoke with a Maxim driver who attended the meeting at the Vice Presidential Palace, and the discussion included a request for the companies to provide Social Security (BPJS) for Employees coverage for drivers.The meeting, which included drivers wearing jackets from Gojek, Grab, Maxim, and InDrive, sparked public scrutiny. A driver wearing a Gojek jacket, quoted on the Vice Presidential Secretariat’s Instagram account (@setwapres.ri), stated they were able to “ask questions and give input to the vice President” and felt they were “on the same page regarding the current issues.”
Though, the event has drawn criticism online, with some questioning the new appearance of the drivers’ jackets and footwear, and also the language used during the meeting. one driver, also wearing a Gojek jacket, expressed concern over disruptions to thier livelihoods and increased anxiety due to escalating tensions, as seen in a video posted to @setwapres.ri.
