Jokowi Woos Investors to Boost Job Creation and Indonesian Economy

President Joko Widodo, in his May Day statement, highlights the government’s commitment to attracting foreign and domestic investments to create job opportunities for Indonesians. Recent statistics show 384,892 job opportunities were created in Q1-2023 due to investments worth Rp 328.9 trillion ($22.4 billion). The majority of investments were in high-technology sectors such as basic metal, metal products, non-machinery, and its equipment industry. However, the President urges Indonesians to prioritize labor rights, improve employee welfare, and reskill/upskill the workforce. Despite the focus on high-tech industries, the government also emphasizes the importance of labor-intensive sectors such as micro, small, and medium enterprises. With an unemployment rate of 5.86%, the government aims to reduce it to between 3.6% and 4.3% by 2024.