TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's plan to issue a pre-employment card attracted comments and split opinions from the public.

Senior economist of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) Fadhil Hasan argues that a number of requirements need to be fulfilled for a person prior to earning the card if it turns out to be similar to the existing unemployment-benefit program introduced in other countries.

“There are plenty of requirements to apply for unemployment benefits,” said Fadhil in Jakarta today, March 14.

However, Fadhil said that the main requirement to run the program is to have a government-backed with sufficient fiscal capacity and implementation that corresponds to the country’s financial ability. He added that Indonesia’s unemployment is different as it is more complex compared to those of Australia’s or Scandinavia’s situation.

“Don’t let it be a mere gimmick,” he warned.

This idea first arose after the Jokowi-Ma’ruf Amin campaign team spokesman Muhammad Misbakhun explained about the purpose of the unemployment benefit card.

Among a large list of requirement, he said that it will mainly be granted to job seekers, workers who were laid off, or people who yearn for vocational skills and work competence certification.

DEWI NURITA