VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

 Governor Anies Baswedan has promised to help reduce the cost of living for workers in Jakarta following demands for an increase in the Provincial Minimum Wage (UMP) in 2022.

"We are planning to help workers by reducing their cost of living," he said while meeting workers in front of the Jakarta City Hall on Thursday.

The governor said a number of terms need to be met in order to raise the minimum wage. However, the raise could be compensated for by lowering the cost of living, for which the local government could intervene, he added.

One example of efforts that can be done to lower the cost of living is reducing the cost of transportation in Jakarta, he pointed out.

Aside from that, the government could also help by providing low-priced foods and Kartu Jakarta Pintar (Jakarta Smart Cards) for workers' children to reduce their cost of living, Baswedan said.

Food prices can be lowered through a cooperative managed by a labor association whose food needs are supplied by PD Pasar Jaya, a local company owned by the Jakarta provincial government, he added.

That way, Baswedan said, the cost of living can be reduced and workers can save more money.

"Therefore, even though the existing regulation has regulated their wage, hopefully, they can save because the cost of living can be lowered with the help of the Jakarta provincial government," he remarked.

The Governor met with workers belonging to the Federation of Metal, Electronic, and Machinery Unions of East Jakarta's All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI) while they were expressing their aspirations in front of the Jakarta City Hall on Thursday.

One of the representatives of the federation, Endang Hidayat, said they were taking action ahead of the determination of the 2022 Jakarta Provincial Minimum Wage, which is planned to be set by the government on Friday (November 19, 2021). (Antaranews)