West Java to Expand BPJS Employment Benefits for Informal Workers, Targets 3 Million

The West Java Provincial Government is expanding employment social security protection for informal workers, asserting that employment insurance can save the economy of underprivileged families. Governor Dedi Mulyadi stated that the employment insurance programme has proven to rescue the economy of pre-prosperous families when disaster strikes. “This is very important. There is a real example where a construction labourer was helped by the insurance, and his family received Rp42 million in compensation when he passed away. There was also an accident victim whose medical costs reached Rp442 million, all covered by BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, and they still received compensation after treatment,” Dedi said at the Pakuan Building in Bandung on Thursday.

He explained that the West Java Provincial Government currently has a quota of one million informal workers covered by employment social security. Dedi stated he will gradually increase this quota to two million or even three million beneficiaries. “We will increase the capacity this year. Currently it is one million, and in the future it could be two million or three million. We will see the financial capacity of West Java Province,” he said.

He also urged district and city governments, down to the village level, to collaborate in realising this target. The focus is on informal workers such as farmers, fishermen, traders, and daily labourers who have not yet been covered by company-based employment insurance. “Districts, cities, let’s do this together. If the village has sufficient allocation, let’s collaborate. We focus on informal employment insurance,” he said.