Ministry to enforce social security law

JAKARTA: State-owned PT Jamsostek, which runs social security programs for workers and the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to attract more workers to social security programs.

The MOU was signed by Jamsostek president Djunaidi Achmad and newly sworn-in Director General for Labor Standards at the ministry Marudin S.M. Simanihuruk at the closing ceremony of a three-day meeting for labor inspectors here on Monday.

Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea, who attended the ceremony, hailed the MOU signing because approximately only 30 percent, or 23 million, of 70 million workers already participate in basic social security programs.

"The signing of the MOU will have strategic value, as labor inspectors take a leading role in the enforcement of Law No. 3/1992 on social security programs," he said.

Although Jamsostek has no power to enforce the law, the growth of workers and companies registered with Jamsostek has been extremely slow due to weak law enforcement amid a shortage of labor inspectors, and inappropriate implementation of regional autonomy. -- JP