Govt announces minimum wage hike

Govt announces minimum wage hike

SURABAYA: The East Java provincial administration said on Tuesday it would raise the minimum wage in the province's five regencies/mayoralties by 6.5 percent beginning on Jan. 1, 2004.

"By raising the minimum wage 6.5 percent, the minimum wage in the five regencies/mayoralties will stand at Rp 550,700 (US$64.80) per month," M. Djaelani, the head of provincial manpower office, said here.

The five regencies/mayoralties in question are Surabaya, Gresik, Sidoarjo and Mojokerto.

Djaelani said raising the minimum wage was necessary because of inflation. He said the inflation rate from January to December this year was projected at between 7.8 percent and 8 percent. -- JP