The Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) revealed that the number of employees affected by layoffs has reached hundreds of thousands, including workers from the manufacturing sector to startups over the past year. "(In) 2022 there will be around 490 thousand," said Secretary General of the Ministry of Manpower Anwar Sanusi after a working meeting with Commission IX of the DPR, quoted Monday (20/2/2023).

This number could increase in early 2023. However, Anwar could not confirm the estimated number of layoffs so far.

"Until February it is still early, we are still seeing the most certain data because the data can be seen from several sources, for example from Old Age Guarantee (JHT) claims, the point is we don't know for sure," he said.

The high number of layoffs can be seen from one sector, for example textiles. Secretary General of the Indonesian Filament Fiber and Yarn Association (APSyFI) Redma Gita Wirawasta revealed that the cut of workers in textile and textile product factories could reach 500 thousand people.

Starting from employees being laid off, working hours cut, contracts not being renewed, to permanent layoffs. According to Redma, this was triggered by a slowdown in exports which suppressed factory utilization, resulting in a domino effect of the onslaught of imported products in the country.

"The layoffs are still continuing, but the government doesn't believe it. Initially there were those whose working hours were cut, previously 6 days were reduced to 4 days, they were rolled. Then, there were those who were laid off, their wages were paid 20%. Then terminate (break / not extended) contracts, then layoffs," said Redma.