Jakarta – The government has officially distributed Wage Subsidy Assistance (BSU) to workers in labor-intensive sectors as a form of short-term economic stimulus. This step is intended to maintain people’s purchasing power, especially low-income groups, and encourage national economic growth amidst global challenges.
The Director General of Economic and Fiscal Strategy at the Ministry of Finance, Febrio Kacaribu, said that the BSU policy was designed to protect workers who are most affected by global uncertainty, especially in labor-intensive sectors.
“The government must protect the people, especially the poor and vulnerable groups, so that their purchasing power remains maintained amidst global uncertainty,” said Febrio.
According to Febrio, this policy cannot be separated from the impact of trade tariffs imposed by the United States on Indonesia’s export industry.
“Therefore, when we design the policy, the main priority that we think about is the labor-intensive sector,” he said.
He stressed that sectors such as textiles, footwear and machinery are the most vulnerable to the impact, thus requiring more protection.
The BSU program targets 17.3 million workers with income criteria below IDR 3,500,000 per month. The amount of assistance provided is IDR 300,000 per month for two months, namely June and July 2025. In the initial stage, the government determined 3,697,836 workers as recipients of assistance.
This effort is part of a broader economic stimulus package. The government has also launched several additional programs such as transportation fare discounts, toll discounts, social assistance, and an extension of the Work Accident Insurance (JKK) contribution discount. All policies implemented by the government are aimed at accelerating economic growth, especially in the second quarter of this year.
Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Susiwijono Moegiarso, emphasized that the main focus of the various programs is improving national economic performance.
“It’s not just about purchasing power. The point is to drive economic growth in the second quarter,” he said.
As a strategic partner of the government, PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or BRI has again been appointed as one of the main distribution institutions for BSU. BRI Corporate Secretary, Agustya Hendy Bernadi, said that his party has prepared various disbursement accesses.
“We are committed to continuing to be present in the community and ensuring that the distribution process is easy, safe, and inclusive,” he explained.