indonesia jobless

Indonesian jobless rate to soar next year: analyst JAKARTA (Antara): Indonesia will likely be burdened by an 'unemployment explosion' early next year if the government does not give serious attention to this problem, director of the Center for Labor and Development Studies (CLDS) Bomer Pasaribu said on Friday. Bomer said that in a bid to help alleviate the problem, the government had to seriously handle the development of micro businesses, agriculture and fisheries for the sake of opening up new job opportunities. Bomer, who is currently preparing a year-end evaluation and projection for next year, said the total number of jobless in the country reached about 40.1 million at present. The term unemployment includes those who are totally jobless, semi-employed and disguised employment. Semi-employment refers to those working less than 40 hours per week and disguised employment refers to the underemployed, Bomer said. At present those who are totally jobless number between 11.6 million and 11.9 million this year, and if the problem is not properly handled, Bomer said, the figures could rise to 12.5 million and 12.6 million next year. This year alone there was an increase in the jobless rate from 1.5 million to 1.8 million, the former minister of manpower said. (jp/IM) http://www.indonesiamedia.com/2006/01/early/english/jobless%20rate.htm