Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto officially announced a 6.5 percent increase in the 2025 Provincial Minimum Wage (UMP) during a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday.

“Manpower Minister [Yassierli] initially proposed a 6 percent increase in the minimum wage. After discussions and meetings with labor leaders, we decided to raise the national average minimum wage by 6.5 percent for 2025,” Prabowo said during the briefing.

The president emphasized that the UMP serves as an essential social safety net for workers, particularly those employed for less than 12 months, taking into account their basic living needs.

“The purpose of setting the minimum wage is to improve workers' purchasing power while also considering the competitiveness of businesses,” he added.

In addition to the national UMP increase, Prabowo noted that sectoral minimum wages (UMS) will be set by provincial and district wage councils. Further details on the UMP implementation will be regulated by the Manpower Ministry's regulations.

“Workers' welfare is incredibly important, and we will continue to fight for improvements in their well-being,” Prabowo said.

President Prabowo said he held a meeting recently with labor union leaders, where he discussed government programs, including the provision of free nutritious meals for children and pregnant women.

“Nutritious meals for children and pregnant women are a vital part of worker welfare,” Prabowo explained.

The government plans to allocate a daily minimum of Rp 10,000 ($0.63) per child or pregnant woman for this nutrition program, with hopes to eventually increase it to Rp 15,000, depending on the fiscal condition. According to Prabowo, the Rp 10,000 per person will be sufficient in most regions, ensuring both quality and nutritional value.