Jakarta – Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) chairman Hariyadi Sukamdani has said that in September alone, 27,000 people lost their jobs as companies started to lay off workers when the rupiah weakened and the economy slowed down.

Based on data from the state-owned workers insurance company BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, according to Hariyadi, there had been 724,000 employees who had disbursed their old-age benefits (JHT) from January to December.

"From that figure, 210,000 employees disbursed their funds from Sept 1 to 28, some 27,000 of whom are categorized as being laid off," he said after meeting with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at the State Palace on Saturday as reported by kompas.com.

According to Hariyadi, data from the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan is more valid than data from other sources, although he believes that the real number of laid off workers could be higher. "If people have already disbursed their old-age benefits, we could assume that they are jobless," he said.

Previously, Indonesian Workers Unions Confederation (KSPI) Said Iqbal said that the issue of lay offs was being exaggerated to lower the bargaining position of workers. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/09/29/27000-people-lose-their-jobs-september-alone.html