The unemployment rate in Indonesia has decreased to 8.14 percent in February this year, lower than it was in the same period last year that stood at 8.46 percent, head of the Indonesian State Statistic Center (BPS) Rusman Heriawan said on Friday.

"The economic slowdown in the country has withheld the unemployment reduction rate," Rusman told a press conference here.

Rusman said that as of February this year the number of workforce in Indonesia reached 113.74 million.

He added, 104.49 million people among the workforce figure in February this year were people with jobs.

Citing to the 51,000 laid off workers figure due to the economic crisis that was released earlier by Manpower and Transmigration ministry, he said that it was not significant if compared to people having jobs as of February.

"The impact of economic crisis doesn't have significant impact to unemployment rate in Indonesia," he said.

Indonesia has been hit by the global economic crisis since late last year. Many manufacturers were reportedly reduce their production and laid off their workers. Government also reviewed its economic growth target this year from 4 to 4.5 percent to 3.5 to 4 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2009)