Unemployment worries Try

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno raised concern yesterday over a minister's report that 130,000 university graduates are jobless.

Try asked Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief to find a prompt solution to the problem.

Latief told journalists after meeting with the Vice President that most of the unemployed college graduates majored in social and cultural sciences.

"Only 50 to 60 percent of university graduates majoring in social and cultural sciences can be absorbed by the formal sector," Latief said here yesterday.

The minister said the Ministry of Education has cooperated with 12 universities and started a program to teach university graduates how to run a business.

"The program is expected to produce strong small and medium- scale entrepreneurs, who are able to create jobs for others," Latief said.

Try also asked Latief to coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Agriculture to support the training program, Latief said.

According to the minister, the government is trying to improve vocational training centers across the country.

Try Sutrisno also met with the new executives of the Employees Cooperative (Inkopkar) who were elected in a recent congress in East Java.

The new executives are chairman Agus Sudono, deputy Sulistijo, deputy Saleh Syeban, secretary Sjam Alamsjah, treasurer Jackie Syaffei, chief of the supervisory body Ruba'is Hartono and housing division chief Iskandar. (pan)