TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded an increase in the unemployment rate in Jakarta throughout February-August 2018, refuting data claimed by vice-presidential candidate number 02 Sandiaga Uno during the election debate on March 17.

The agency noted that as many as 290,120 people were unemployed in February 2018. The figure rose by 8.52 percent to 314,840 people in August 2018.

However, the figure slipped by 9.25 percent or 32,100 people from that of the same month last year.

During the debate, Sandiaga Uno claimed that his OK OCE program had reduced the unemployment rate by 20,000 people throughout 2018. The statement, however, contradicted the BPS' data.

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The Jakarta BPS head, Thoman Pardosi, said the calculation systems used by the agency and OK OCE were different. According to Thoman, OK OCE participants might possibly be workers who changed their professions to entrepreneurs before joining the program.

“So it [the program] may not absorb workers directly because that does not mean they are unemployed, and that is based on their data, right?” said Thoman.

The OK OCE program was first introduced by Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno during the 2017 gubernatorial election as an attempt to cut the unemployment rate. Sandiaga Uno, who is currently the running-mate of Prabowo Subianto, sought to bring OK OCE as a national program.

LANI DIANA WIJAYA