Jakarta, Aug. 5 -- Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the downstreaming, manufacturing, and food and beverage (F&B) sectors have become key drivers of increased employment absorption.

According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data, employment increased by 522 thousand people during the February-May 2026 period.

"The growth in employment is the result of investment, with 30 percent of investment returning to the downstreaming sector," Hartarto said at a press conference here on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in Java Island, more investment has flowed into manufacturing. The sectors have become among the main drivers of increased employment absorption, he added.

Both sectors have a significant capacity t...