Ridwan Kamil's Departure: What is the State of Unemployment in West Java?

Ridwan Kamil's term as Governor of West Java ended on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. So, what was the unemployment situation in West Java during his tenure?

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the open unemployment rate in West Java in February 2023 reached 7.89%. This figure is quite high, even ranking second highest nationally.

Although relatively high, West Java's unemployment rate at the end of Ridwan Kamil's leadership had fallen significantly compared to the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, which had reached 10.46% in August 2020.

Since Ridwan Kamil took office at the end of 2018, West Java's unemployment rate has tended to decline, reaching its lowest level in the last decade at 7.71% in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit.

However, in terms of numbers, the unemployed in West Java tended to increase during Ridwan Kamil's tenure.

This increase occurred mainly since the Covid-19 pandemic. At that time, many layoffs (PHK) occurred due to disruptions in community economic activity related to social restrictions.

As the pandemic situation recovered, the number of unemployed in West Java tended to decrease again. However, the number has not been able to return to pre-pandemic levels.

In February 2023, the number of unemployed in West Java was recorded at approximately 2 million people. At the beginning of Ridwan Kamil's tenure as Governor, the number of unemployed in the province was still 1.86 million people in February 2019.

West Java, an Investment Hotspot, but Not Reducing Unemployment

Looking at its economy, West Java has consistently been among the provinces receiving the highest investment nationally in recent years.

However, West Java's position as an investment hotspot has not been able to significantly reduce unemployment. This was also mentioned by the Chairman of the West Java DPD Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPSI), Roy Jinto.

"From that data, is it true that the investment in West Java employs West Javanese people? We must ensure that the investment is there, but that the benefits are enjoyed by the people of West Java," said Roy, as reported by Kompas.com, Tuesday (September 5, 2023).

According to Roy, during Ridwan Kamil's 5 years as Governor of West Java, there has not been a significant absorption of labor despite the influx of investment.

"West Java is an industrial area, an area that receives the largest investment, but has the second highest unemployment rate in Indonesia. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to who is working in West Java with the influx of investment," Roy added.