Lay offs surge by 34% in 2002

JAKARTA: The Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration reported on Wednesday a 34 percent increase in the number of workers laid off throughout 2002, or 135,421 more unemployed Indonesians compared to 2001.

The ministry's director general for industrial relations, Muzni Tambusai said the figure excluded cases of lay offs that were not reported to the ministry.

"So there is a 18 percent rise in the number of people laid off and a 34 percent rise in the number of workers involved," said Muzni during a hearing with legislators.

He did not explain why the unemployment rate surged during the year. About 40 million Indonesians are unemployed and many remain at risk of losing their jobs amid sluggish recovery from the 1997 economic crisis. -- Antara