Young Businessmed Urge Governemnt to Anticipate Flow of Foreign Workers

Jakarta (Antara)- The Association of Indonesian Young Businessmen (Hipmi) has urged Manpower Minister M. Hanif Dakhiri to protect the domestic manpower market from the influx of foreign workers into the country.

"Hipmi urges Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri to protect the domestic manpower market from the influx of laborers, or unskilled workers from other countries," Hipmi's SMEs and Manpower Unit Chairman Yuke Yurike stated here on Tuesday.

The manpower ministry does not have an effective and reliable policy in place to protect the domestic job market, despite the fact that the country's industrial and economic growth rates are down, he pointed out.

The labor-intensive economic sector, notably agriculture, in Indonesia is currently growing at a rather slow rate. Previously, its growth rate was 45 percent, but now, it is only 34 percent.

The trade minister must protect the domestic production and service markets, and the manpower minister must protect the domestic manpower market, he emphasized.

The government must create ample job opportunities, as the number of people reaching employment age is also increasing.

"There are two solutions: protect the existing manpower market and create new job opportunities through entrepreneurship," he stated.

Recently, several Lebak inhabitants demanded the manpower ministry to revoke the work permits of Chinese laborers working on the construction of a cement factory in Lebak, Banten Province.

"I think the presence of Chinese here has created restlessness among the public, as they do not maintain hygiene and defecate in any place and are also not well educated," Yudi, a local resident of Lebak, noted recently.

He remarked that the Chinese are willing to do manual labor, which the local people are averse to, such as iron welding and cement mixing.

The manpower minister, however, denied reports that there is an influx of Chinese workers into Indonesia.

The information is not true, as the government is very selective in allowing foreigners to work in Indonesia, according to the minister. (*)