Top Indonesia court rules new job law unconstitutional

By NINIEK KARMINI
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s top court has ruled that the country’s widely criticized Job Creation Law is unconstitutional and ordered the government to amend it within two years. The law, passed last year, triggered days of protests in many cities that turned violent as thousands of enraged students and workers charged it would cripple labor rights and harm the environment. The act amended 77 previous laws and was intended to improve bureaucratic efficiency as part of efforts by the government to attract more investment. Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, is eagerly courting foreign investment as a key driver of economic growth in a nation where nearly half the population is younger than 30.