TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Industry Minister Saleh Husin said that he has yet heard of the rumor that PT Panasonic and PT Toshiba in Indonesia will close their factories this year. “I just heard the news, we will check it,” he told Tempo on Wednesday, February 3, 2016.

Saleh responded to the statement made by Indonesian Workers Union Confederation (KSPI) President Said Iqbal who mentioned the shutdown plan of PT Panasonic Lightning in Cikarang, West Java, and Pasuruan, East Java, and PT Toshiba Indonesia in Cikarang on April 2016.

According to Said, the closing of the two international-scale factories will lead to job cuts toward thousands of workforce. “About 2,500 workers will lose their jobs,” he said Tuesday, Feb 2.

Besides job cuts, the shutdown of the two companies will also affecting investment trust. “[The shutdown of] companies like Toshiba and Panasonic will raise questions among investors throughout the globe. As a result, investors will wait.”

Both companies will close in April and negotiation upon allowance is still ongoing. “This is a negative signal as Toshiba is a gigantic television company,” he said.

Said mentioned that the thousands of workers comprise 1,700 members of KSPI in Panasonic and 970 members of KSPI in Toshiba.

Minister Saleh said he will first check on the rumor. “If it’s true, we will coordinate what factors became the cause [of the shutdown],” he said.

REZKI ALVIONITASARI | ARKHELAUS WISNU