RI faces two million more jobless post-Oct. 12<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia may get hit with another two million jobless people,
\nas the Oct. 12 terrorist strike in Bali had reduced job
\nopportunities, the government said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare Jusuf Kalla said that
\nIndonesia's unemployment rate could jump by as much as two
\nmillion people in the next few months as layoffs, mainly in the
\ntourism sector, were imminent.<\/p>\n
\"We're predicting the worst, which is, that up to two million
\npeople might lose their jobs considering the declining tourist
\narrivals,\" Kalla told reporters following a Cabinet meeting. \"In
\nBali alone unemployment may rise by 600,000,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The bombing at two of Bali's busiest nightclubs claimed nearly
\n200 people, mainly foreigners, prompting fears that the bomb was
\nthe handiwork of the alleged terrorist group, al-Qaeda.<\/p>\n
A number of Western governments and Japan responded by issuing
\nharsh travel warnings for Indonesia, despite repeated safety
\nassurances by officials here.<\/p>\n
Bali accounts for about one third of Indonesia's average
\nannual tourism revenue of US$5 billion.<\/p>\n
A World Bank report on Wednesday predicted tourism arrivals
\nwould plummet by 20 percent over the next year, citing a similar
\nincident in Egpyt when the killing of tourists at the tourist
\nsite Luxor in 1997 dragged tourism down by 17 percent.<\/p>\n
Kalla added that handicrafts makers in neighboring East and
\nCentral Java would also feel the pinch as they supply some 70
\npercent of souvenirs sold in Bali.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, analysts said the impact would go beyond Bali and
\nits supporting industries, since the holiday island is seen as
\nthe gateway to other tourist spots around the country. This means
\ntourists who normally visit Bali first before traveling to other
\nislands here may not come at all.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's unemployment total stands at about 38 million.<\/p>\n
The rise in unemployment could also come from an overall
\nweaker economic outlook after the Bali bombing.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-
\nJakti said the government needed \"emergency funds\" from foreign
\ndonor countries to support the economy well into 2003.<\/p>\n
\"We have to call for an ad interim meeting of the Consultative
\nGroup on Indonesia (CGI) immediately, as we need extra money to
\nstimulate economic growth for the next six months,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Dorodjatun was referring to Indonesia's main creditor
\ncountries under the CGI, which met earlier this month to discuss
\na possible loan of \"several hundreds of millions of dollars\" in
\nhelping it cope with the Bali fallout.<\/p>\n
To dispel the security fears at Indonesian tourist sites,
\nKalla said the government would ask for additional security
\nmeasures in and around tourist sites.<\/p>\n
The government is pinning its hopes on more domestic
\ntravelers to offset the foreigners, and Kalla said to entice
\npeople to travel it was planning to issue a regulation to enable
\nlonger weekends.<\/p>\n
Several holidays, he explained, could be moved to either
\nFriday or Monday to create longer weekends.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono said security around strategic
\ninstallations, public utilities and transportation hubs remained
\ntight.<\/p>\n
\"The antiterror desk, which will coordinate, monitor and
\nsynchronize all government policies on terrorism, would be
\nactivated before Nov. 15,\" Susilo added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-faces-two-million-more-jobless-post-oct-12-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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