Summary: This article examines the vulnerability of Indonesia’s service industry to overcriminalization through an analysis of the legal case involving Amsal Christy Sitepu and proposes a fairer wage system from the perspective of Islamic economics. The main issue addressed is the absence of adequate standards for assessing the reasonableness of service costs, particularly in the creative sector, consulting, information technology, and skill-based professions, resulting in price differences often being perceived as mark-ups or irregularities. This article employs a descriptive-analytical approach by examining the characteristics of the service industry, legal issues in service procurement, wage principles in Indonesia, and the values of justice in Islamic economics. The findings indicate that services are intangible in nature and depend heavily on competence, experience, creativity, and work processes, making them unsuitable for evaluation using the same approach as physical goods procurement. From the perspective of Islamic economics, wages should be based on the principles of justice, adequacy, contractual clarity, timely payment, consultation, and the prohibition of exploitation. Therefore, reforming the wage system for services in Indonesia should focus on the establishment of billing rate standards, strengthening contractual documentation, benchmarking profession-based costs, improving service audit methods, and providing more proportional legal protection for service providers. Consequently, the wage system for services in Indonesia can become more equitable and accountable while supporting the growth of a healthy, professional service industry aligned with Islamic economic values.
Introduction
The development of the modern economy has encouraged the growth of the service industry as one of the major sectors supporting national activities. Unlike the manufacturing sector and the trade of physical goods, the service industry relies on human capability, creativity, experience, ideas, analysis, knowledge, and professional skills. In recent years, Indonesia’s service sector has grown rapidly, encompassing consulting services, information technology, design, auditing, training, digital marketing, videography, software development, and other creative services.
Read More Article
