'Banning migrants is against human rights'
The Jakarta administration will check people entering the capital after the Idul Fitri holiday, anticipating would-be job seekers. The capital is about to close its doors to migrants, especially the unskilled. The Jakarta Post asked some residents about their opinion on the issue.
Ari Mohammad, 32, is an executive at a non-governmental organization. He lives in Jati Waringin, East Jakarta:
I don't agree with the city administration prohibiting people from entering Jakarta as a mechanism to curb population growth in the city. No one can control people's movements. People have the right to live anywhere in the country.
But I agree there should be population control so that Jakarta is not overcrowded.
It, however, should be implemented through a reasonable policy, like discouraging people from entering the city or telling people that Jakarta is not a city of dreams if they have no skills because they will not easily find work here.
I think, migrant people living in the city, should not encourage their unskilled relatives to come to the city.
Joe Fernandez, 45, is a researcher working for the Institute for Policy and Community Development Studies (IPCOS) in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. He lives in Depok:
The city administration should cooperate with its neighboring cities to curb the population growth in the city.
As an example, the administration should encourage investors of particular manufacturing products to invest here. As a metropolitan city, Jakarta should focus its attention on providing good public services.
It should be selective in accepting investors. With such a policy, Jakarta would prompt less skilled workers to live outside of Jakarta.
Although I agree that Jakarta should not be overcrowded, but I strongly oppose any effort to prohibit people from entering the city because such a policy is against human rights.
I believe that the city administration cannot solve its population problem alone. It should share the problem with the central government.
If the government cannot fairly distribute the result of development to all regions, urbanization will still become a problem to Jakarta and other big cities.
--The Jakarta Post