The President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. (Image via CNN Indonesia)

Jokowi: Unemployment rises during COVID-19 pandemic

On Monday, the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), stated that the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has hit various sectors. Speaking during the only ceremony of the 48th anniversary of the All-Indonesia Workers Union Confederation (KSPSI), Jokowi said that the slumping economy caused many companies to terminate their employees.

Yet, Jokowi encouraged the Indonesian workers to keep their hopes alive to push the economic movement forward so that the workers might get back to work immediately as soon as the pandemic has ceased. Moreover, Jokowi himself stated that he is doing anything in his capacity to create more jobs.

Furthermore, Jokowi told the Indonesian workers to prepare themselves and learn more skills to enhance knowledge and skills to compete in the global market. So that once the situation has gotten better, Indonesia might get the upper hand to compete on an even more competitive global scale.

After the COVID-19 pandemic entered the nation in March 2020. the unemployment and poverty rate in Indonesia skyrocketed. Statistics Indonesia (BPS) tabulated that the open unemployment rate (TPT) increased from 5.23 percent in August 2019 to 7.07 percent by August 2020. That meant the unemployed added by 2.67 million to 9.77 million people by August 2020.

The Chief of BPS, Suhariyanto, stated that the increase in unemployment was the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The disease is halting industrial activities, therefore causing work termination and unemployment. The unemployment rate was dominated by the urban areas.

On the other hand, the impoverished reached 27.55 million by September 2020, from 26.42 million in March 2020. The number meant the poverty rate reached 20.19 percent of the national population combined. The poverty rate also increased by 9.78 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

Source: https://bit.ly/3aDQEFQ