Low pay for college graduates

Low pay for college graduates

From Suara Karya The workforce in Indonesia is increasing by nine million every year. Meanwhile, 80 percent of the population of 200 million still lives below the poverty line.

In Jakarta and nearby regions, regional minimum wages have now reached about Rp 647,000 a month. Lots of college graduates, however, receive salaries lower than the official minimum wage.

The question is whether whoever is elected president in 2004 will be capable of raising the welfare and quality of these college graduates through appropriate pay.

The authorities should pay attention to this issue by, among other things, conducting surveys at companies where college graduates have remained underpaid.

RISAL HENDARSIN, Depok, West Java