PONTIANAK, Thekabarnews.com—The Indonesian Cyber Media Association (AMSI Kalbar) West Kalimantan and the Pontianak Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) have strengthened their cooperation. They aim to expand social security employment coverage for media workers throughout West Kalimantan.

The strategic collaboration took place at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Pontianak on Monday, June 15. The event’s theme was “Sinergi dan Kolaborasi Peran Media dalam Pemberitaan Positif untuk Peningkatan Cakupan Perlindungan Jaminan Sosial Ketenagakerjaan di Provinsi Kalimantan Barat.”

The event gathered representatives of media organizations, government institutions, and BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. They met to discuss ways to improve public knowledge about employment social security. Furthermore, they aimed to ensure better protection for journalists and media workers.

The Pontianak BPJS Ketenagakerjaan head Suhuri said that the success of Indonesia’s employment social security program has long been dependent on the role of the media. He said the media educates the public.

But he pointed out that many journalists and media workers remain outside the protective system despite encountering major occupational risks.

“Media practitioners are seriously under threat in the performance of their duties. Recent coverage of student demonstrations and labor union protests shows the way journalists often work in high-risk environments,” Suhuri said.

To overcome this problem, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan and AMSI Kalbar will create a structured database of media workers. This will serve as a basis for accelerating social security participation.

“The media industry is home to a diverse set of occupations exposed to workplace hazards, including editors, reporters, correspondents, contributors, photographers, and advertising personnel,” Suhuri said.

BPJS Ketenagakerjaan has two membership schemes to accommodate different employment statuses. Media companies can register their permanent employees through the Wage Earner (PU) scheme. Meanwhile, freelance contributors, correspondents, and independent journalists can register through the Non-Wage Earner (BPU) scheme with contributions starting from Rp16,800 per month.

“We go directly to the employers and the media associations. We hope that through this collaboration, the social security protection of media workers will increase. In addition, the public’s understanding of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan will also improve. Many people still only know BPJS Kesehatan and are not familiar with employment social security benefits,” Suhuri added.

AMSI Kalbar chairman, Muhlis Suhaeri, welcomed the partnership. He said it would help boost the sustainability of digital media organizations in the province.

“Many media companies still grapple with limited human resources and operational capacity, so it’s becoming increasingly difficult to produce high-quality journalism consistently,” Muhlis said.

“It is important for the media to fully grasp the programs and benefits of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. Once journalists understand the system, they can educate the public more effectively. This collaboration is an important investment for the media industry and for the long-term goals of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan,” he said.

The West Kalimantan Provincial Government also strongly supported the initiative. Dr. Harisson, regional secretary, reminded participants that the main objective of employment social security is to protect workers and their families from financial hardship. Such hardship may arise from accidents at work or death.

If a participant dies while covered by the program, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan will provide comprehensive benefits. These include compensation up to 48 times a worker’s monthly salary and educational scholarships for eligible children from elementary school to university, Harisson said.

“This program is designed to give real protection. Nobody should be driven into poverty if a worker is injured or dies in the workplace. Their children should still be able to continue their education,” Harisson said.

He encouraged all media companies in West Kalimantan to register all of their employees with BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. Additionally, he urged freelance journalists and other independent media professionals to voluntarily enroll.

Harisson also urged media organizations, including AMSI, PWI, AJI, and other press associations, to continue collaborating with BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. This will advance employment social security and accelerate comprehensive protection for media workers across the province.

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