Unemployment causes conflicts: Minister<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Al Hilal
\nHamdi believes that the high growth in unemployment is the root
\nof the conflicts across the country.<\/p>\n
\"I have traveled across the country, from Aceh to Irian Jaya
\n-- everywhere I went I saw crowds of people who are jobless,\" Al
\nHilal said in a seminar over the weekend.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the unemployment issue was also
\npolitically very sensitive as it could be used as a political
\ntool by groups in the regions as well as in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He said every day the unemployed could easily be manipulated
\nto mobilize support for groups to push certain issues, such as
\nethnicity, religion, culture, social and economic interests.<\/p>\n
\"The conflicts are cloaked in various issues, but the most
\nsignificant issue is social and economic,\" Al Hilal, who was
\nformer deputy secretary general of the National Mandate Party
\n(PAN), remarked.<\/p>\n
He said the government would pay more attention to the
\nunemployment issue as continued conflicts made possible by high
\nunemployment would hamper investment to the country.<\/p>\n
\"We hope we can increase economic growth and open more job
\nopportunities,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Al Hilal revealed that \"official\" unemployment has currently
\nreached over 3.7 million people, with an estimated 2.4 million
\njob seekers entering the market next year.<\/p>\n
But only about 1.6 million can be accommodated even with the
\nassumption of economic growth at between 4 and 5 percent.<\/p>\n
He said the government would also try to push some 500,000 of
\nthese new job seekers to find work overseas.<\/p>\n
The remaining 300,000 would be left to add to the number of
\nunemployed.<\/p>\n
\"We must reach a target of 8 percent in economic growth per
\nyear if we want to provide sufficient jobs,\" Al Hilal remarked.
\n\"That is on the assumption that 1 percent of economic growth
\nwould provide jobs for 400,000 people\".(25\/jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unemployment-causes-conflicts-minister-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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