PRESIDENT ASKS JAMSOSTEK TO INCREASE ASSISTANCE TO WORKERS

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Saturday asked state-owned workers insurance company PT Jamsostek to increase its assistance to workers, saying the aid would also help the development of the business world.

"I hope that Jamsostek can continue assisting workers in an effort to alleviate their financial burden as well as to improve their living standards," the President said when inspecting a factory owned by PT Mesindo Putra Perkasa in Karawang, West Java.

Yudhoyono said he supported Jamsostek's call for the manpower and transmigration minister to approve a number of projects designed to increase assistance for workers.

Earlier, the president also visited a plant owned by PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia also located in Karawang. He had a lunch with 340 employees of the company.

The president's visits to the two plants were part of his activities to mark International Workers' Day which fell on Saturday.

During the visit, Yudhoyono was accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono, Industry Minister MS Hidayat and Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar.