INDEF: Poverty Still a Challenge in Jokowi - JK Administration

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) stated that poverty still poses a challenge under the three-year leadership of Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Jusuf Kalla administration. Indef Executive Director Enny Sri Hartati said that there are numerous factors causing Indonesia’s poverty, with one of it being the difficulties in accessing employment.

“The government should pay more attention to providing more employment,” said Enny Sri Hartati on Tuesday, October 17.

She appreciates the step the government has taken that focuses more on managing the country’s human resources through a vocational school program, although she reminded that it should be synergized with industries that would act as employers.

According to Indef Program Director Berly Martawardaya, the improvement in the manufacturing sector has become the most potent way in Asia to abolish poverty, considering that the manufacturing sector is able to absorb large numbers of employment compared to employment in the service sector.

“Indonesia has been [too focused on] developing its service sector,” Berly explained.

Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki recorded that poverty has been slightly reduced by 0.22 percent during Jokowi and Jusuf Kalla`s three-year administration. As of March 2017, there are 27.77 million impoverished people which equate to 10.64 percent of the total population. Similarly, the unemployment rate has also been reduced 5.33 percent during the past three-years.

VINDRY FLORENTIN