East Java Governor Khofirah expands cheap markets to curb inflation, earns top job‑creation award

Governor Khofirah Indar Parawansa attended the 73rd "Pasar Murah" (cheap market) in Ngawi, East Java on 5 June 2026. The market sold staple items such as sugar, cooking oil, rice, chicken and chilies at prices below the highest retail rates – for example, sugar at Rp14,000, cooking oil at Rp13,000, rice SPHP at Rp55,000 (versus about Rp65,000 in the market) and chicken at Rp30,000 per kilogram (versus a Rp34,000 HET). The program, coordinated with local governments, is presented as a direct intervention to stabilise prices and curb inflation.

In the same year, East Java received the "Best I" award for reducing unemployment among vocational‑high‑school (SMK) graduates in the 2026 Regional Jawa‑Bali Government Performance Awards. Officials credited the governor’s strategy of linking education with industry, expanding placement of SMK graduates to 13 foreign countries and securing a Rp3 billion grant from the central government. The award highlights the province’s continued focus on improving job prospects for young workers.