Unemployment in the West Java municipality of Bekasi has reached 9.32 percent of its 2.7 million population, exceeding the national unemployment rate of 5.34 percent, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) has revealed.

Bekasi Deputy Mayor Tri Adhianto said the unemployment rate was high because the municipality was an urban area.

"We will reduce the rate by creating many job fields and opening internship programs in coordination with the Manpower Ministry," Tri said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com.

The Bekasi administration plans to create 150,000 jobs over five years, targeting the creation of 30,000 new jobs each year.

Tri added that the administration was running entrepreneurship programs for its residents.

"We are holding entrepreneurship programs that are offered to all residents, regardless of age," he said. (cal)