Prabowo’s Cabinet Unveils Programs Aimed at Creating Millions of Jobs
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya has unveiled a series of government programs that President Prabowo Subianto has directed to accelerate job creation across Indonesia. Teddy presented the details on Tuesday, Sept 9, 2025, after a limited cabinet meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
The meeting focused on the rapid execution of priority programs and their projected impact on the labor market. Teddy explained that the launch of 80,000 Koperasi Desa Merah Putih, or Red-and-White Village Cooperatives, is expected to employ at least five new workers each. This means the cooperative network alone would absorb around 400,000 people.
“The establishment of 80,000 Koperasi Desa Merah Putih will create jobs for at least 400,000 people, with each cooperative assumed to employ five new workers,” Teddy said.
In the agricultural sector, the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementerian Pertanian, or Kementan) has set a replanting program for smallholder plantations covering 870,000 hectares. The initiative is estimated to generate 1.6 million jobs over the next two years.
Teddy added that the Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih, or Red-and-White Fishermen’s Villages, is another flagship program. An initial 100 villages will provide work for about 7,000 people. Over the longer term, the president has instructed the development of 4,000 such sites, with potential employment of up to 200,000 people.
President Prabowo Subianto discusses the acceleration of the Red-and-White Cooperative program as a national strategy to strengthen village economies and shorten food supply chains. The cabinet meeting took place in Hambalang on Monday, June 23, 2025. Photo: Presidential Secretariat Press Bureau/Muchlis Jr
The marine and fisheries sector is also projected to be a significant source of new jobs. Revitalization of 20,000 hectares of shrimp ponds in northern coastal Java (Pantura) is expected to absorb more than 132,000 workers. Meanwhile, the modernization of 1,000 fishing boats could create nearly 600,000 jobs.
“There are still several other programs under preparation that will expand employment opportunities,” Teddy emphasized.
One of them is the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program. With each kitchen assumed to hire 50 workers, the government estimates that 32,000 kitchens will employ about 1.6 million people, not including suppliers and distribution networks tied to MBG.
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