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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A wave of layoffs has marked the first year of President Prabowo Subianto's administration. According to the Ministry of Manpower, 45,426 workers were laid off as of September 2025. This figure stands in stark contrast to Prabowo's campaign promise to create 19 million jobs.Minister of Manpower Yassierli said the layoff storm was not unique to Indonesia. "When the global economy is in this condition, the impact is the same everywhere," said Yassierli, a Ph.D. graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the United States, at his office on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.That day marked Yassierli's first year as minister. In an interview with Tempo journalists Yosea Arga Pramudita, Friski Riana, Erwan Hermawan, Sunudyantoro, and photographer Ilham Balindra, Yassierli said he remained confident Prabowo's campaign promise would be fulfilled. He believed the downstreaming of 28 key commodities and various people-centered programs would create new jobs.During the hour-long interview, Yassierli also addressed the gratification case involving the issuance of occupational safety and health (K3) certificates that led to the arrest of former Deputy Manpower Minister Immanuel Ebenezer by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in August 2025. He also responded to criticism of the National Apprenticeship Program, which targets 100,000 university graduates this year. The following are excerpts from the interview.Read the Complete Story in Tempo English Magazine
