"Our task is to compensate by creating new jobs and new entrepreneurs," Kadin chair Anindya Bakrie said here on Tuesday in response to reports of layoffs by electronics maker Panasonic.
According to Bakrie, layoffs can be prompted by several reasons, such as economic slowdown, technological disruption, or certain policies. Therefore, it is essential for all parties to work together to respond to them constructively.
Kadin is optimistic that Indonesia's economic growth can return to above 5 percent, and even move toward the 8-percent mark, if economic empowerment and equality are continuously pursued.
Bakrie further said that businesses view the phenomenon of layoffs not as a signal of a weakening economy, but as a challenge to find breakthroughs in growing the industrial sector and expanding the market.
"The most important thing is that we ensure that economic growth occurs because 5–6 percent economic growth can create 2.5 million jobs," he explained.
Kadin is also exploring export opportunities through trade tariff diplomacy, which is expected to open international markets and expand the production capacity of Indonesia's local industries.
He assured that Kadin is continuing to synergize with the government in efforts to ensure the policies remain supportive of industries as well as help businesses survive and develop in the face of global economic dynamics.
Earlier, spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry, Febri Hendri Antoni Arif, said that the layoffs of thousands of employees globally carried out by Panasonic did not affect the operations of the company in Indonesia.
"The Indonesian factory is a base for exports to more than 80 countries, reflecting a very strong competitiveness of the national electronics industry," he added.
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Translator: Muhammad Harianto, Raka Adji
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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