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View all search resultsManpower Minister mulls holding back layoff data to avoid ‘pessimism’
Layoffs have continued to rise across the country, especially in labor-intensive sectors such as textiles and footwear.
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Manpower Minister Yassierli (second right) talks to reporter at the Manpower Ministry on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta on May 20, 2025. (Kompas.com/Haryanti Puspa Sari)
M
anpower Minister Yassierli is considering holding back the release of data on layoffs, fearing it could trigger public concern amid widespread job cuts and growing discontent over labor conditions.
He emphasized the need to maintain a hopeful outlook by focusing on more optimistic information, suggesting that monthly layoff data releases might undermine that effort.
“Don’t keep [talking about] layoffs […] it can lead to greater pessimism in this country,” Yassierli said on Monday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
Yassierli insisted that data accuracy remains a priority, noting that the ministry compiles monthly figures based on reports from the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan), which are subject to a verification process.
However, rather than disclosing the latest layoff figures, the ministry plans to highlight various worker protection programs, such as the unemployment benefits scheme (JKP) and the wage subsidy program (BSU) for eligible recipients.
“These [programs] are what we need to make go viral,” he added.
Read also: US tariffs spark layoff concerns, risk expanding informal sector
