[Unofficial translation from Bahasa provided by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

"Due to the continuous furnace working hours, KIBA workers were not allowed to have proper breaktime to eat and pray" 10 October 2025.

The shrill noise of the machines in the PT Huadi Nickel Alloy production area muffled the call to prayer (adhan). Under the threat of reprimands and warning letters, KIBA workers face a dilemma of choosing between continuing to service the continuously burning stoves or taking a break and performing Friday prayers.

That story represents the daily struggles of the five workers, who testified in the trial held on 9 October 2025. They worked for 12 hours without a break since they joined the company.

"(We) have lunch time just near the furnace, since it is never stopped", said one of the KIBA workers during the trial.

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The witnesses, who stand on trial, repeatedly stated that the smelter furnace at PT. HNAI operates 24 hours a day, non-stop, unless the facility is broken down or undergoing maintenance.

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"We once denied permission to do Friday prayers, since (the company) did not allow the furnace to be turned off. We were asked to continue guarding the machines that were constantly running. We were forced to pray in the work area, amidst the heat and dust," said Adi Atma Jaya, one of the witnesses who worked in the sintering section.

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"Once I saw a worker working in the crane cabin—the one that lifted the barrels from the fifth floor. He performed a quick morning prayer before the barrels reached the ground. He only spent five minutes praying, then immediately continued working. It doesn't make sense," said Mursalim, a leader at PT. HNAI.

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Witnesses testified that they worked 12 to 15 hours a day, and in some cases, even 24 hours a day, without a break. They also didn't have weekly or national holidays because the shift-based work system was determined by the furnace operating hours.

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In addition to problematic working hours, they have to work in a hot and dusty environment, increasing their safety risks. One worker even suffered a workplace accident due to fatigue during long working hours.

"Accidents often occur at dawn because workers are exhausted. There's no break time; they even eat near the machines while constantly on standby to maintain them," added Mursalim.

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"We know it is a violation, but if we did protest, we would possibly receive warning letters or risk being transferred to another division," said Wandi, a worker in the Electrical Unit.

These findings reinforce the fact that the work system at PT. Huadi Nickel Alloy Indonesia not only violates national labor standards but also reflects the practice of forced labor hidden within the nickel smelter industry in Indonesia.

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