Jakarta, Oct. 22 -- Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah Noor highlighted the importance of ensuring the regulation for the national tobacco industry remain favorable for workers and farmers.

In a statement here on Wednesday, he noted that the presence of the tobacco industry must provide tangible benefits to the people and the state, not only for certain parties.

"When we talk about the tobacco industry, we must consider whose interests are being served: is it for the prosperity of the nation and workers, or is it merely to benefit business players?," he remarked.

The deputy minister highlighted the large number of workers who rely on the labor-intensive sector.

According to him, the cigarette industry and the tobacco industry invo...