North Maluku’s 27th Anniversary: Sherly Tjoanda Reaffirms Commitment to Protect Vulnerable Workers
The North Maluku Provincial Government continues to demonstrate its commitment to improving public welfare, particularly for vulnerable workers. Marking the province’s 27th anniversary, Governor Sherly Tjoanda reiterated that commitment.
The initiative provides employment social-security protection to 19,000 vulnerable workers, with all contributions covered by the Regional Budget (APBD).
In keeping with the anniversary theme, ‘Growth Must Be Felt’, the occasion is a chance to ensure that the benefits of regional development are also experienced by working people. One way this is being done is through employment social-security protection, which provides workers and their families with security against a range of socio-economic risks.
This year, the coverage is focused on agricultural workers, whose role is important in supporting the regional economy. They are covered by two BPJS Employment programmes: Work Accident Insurance (JKK) and Death Insurance (JKM).
Governor Sherly Tjoanda symbolically handed over membership cards alongside BPJS Employment President Director Saiful Hidayat during the province’s anniversary celebrations at the grounds of the Shafful Khairaat Grand Mosque in Sofifi on Monday (12 October).
Previously, Sherly said employment social security was not merely a formal programme, but a key safety net for workers’ futures and regional economic stability.
Sherly reiterated her commitment to expanding protection towards Universal Employment Social Security Coverage (UCJ). The effort involves encouraging all levels of regional government and the private sector to ensure that more workers are covered.
“We are not the best yet, but we improve every year. We have not reached the target, but we are moving towards it,” Sherly said in a written statement on Monday (12 October 2026).
Sherly also instructed the relevant agencies and called on industry and private-sector businesses to ensure all workers receive BPJS Employment coverage.
BPJS Employment President Director Saiful Hidayat expressed his appreciation to Sherly and North Maluku Deputy Governor Sarbin Sehe for their commitment to broadening employment social-security protection for the public.
“This shows how the state is present through the provincial government and BPJS Employment in protecting vulnerable workers in agriculture, fisheries, among fishers and in other sectors,” Saiful said.
Saiful said the 19,000 agricultural workers were part of more than 92,000 vulnerable workers already covered across North Maluku. He hoped coverage would continue to expand so that more workers had a safety net when facing socio-economic risks.
By September 2026, BPJS Employment had paid Rp124 billion in benefits across more than 15,000 claims in North Maluku. These payments help workers and their families cope with risks, while also supporting purchasing power and stimulating the regional economy.
Saiful added that BPJS Employment not only provides protection when risks arise, but also promotes economic self-reliance among participants and their beneficiaries through its Economic Empowerment and Beneficiary Self-Reliance Programme (PEKA), in collaboration with vocational training centres and various relevant institutions.
“The hope is that the benefits they receive will not be spent only on consumption, but will become capital enabling them to move forward by starting a business,” Saiful said.
One beneficiary is Jani, who has developed Calysta Bakery. Through PEKA, she received training in baking, product packaging and financial literacy to help her business grow sustainably.
According to Saiful, this empowerment initiative also aligns with the North Maluku Provincial Government’s support for small businesses through the People’s Business Credit (KUR) facility.
Saiful also praised the provincial government’s efforts to strengthen worker protection through the issuance of a Governor’s Regulation. The regulation is expected to encourage companies to ensure that all their workers, including those in business ecosystems, receive employment social-security coverage.
Alongside coverage for company employees, Saiful called on businesses to use their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes to help protect vulnerable workers in surrounding communities.
“This will help North Maluku achieve Universal Employment Social Security Coverage soon. It should not rely only on the regional budget, but also encourage employers and companies’ CSR programmes to protect vulnerable workers,” he concluded.