Foreign worker wages

Foreign worker wages

Foreign workers employed in certain sectors in Indonesia are
earning fantastic wages. According to Ministry of Manpower data,
Indonesia spent no less than Rp 5 trillion (US$2.4 billion) last
year on wages for 57,159 workers from various countries.

It must be said that the educational progress achieved under
the New Order has given us professional workers of adequate
standards. They can be found among the 14 million job seekers who
failed to get jobs last year. Instead, we have knowingly and
willingly given the opportunities to foreign workers.

In order that our foreign exchange reserves are not
disproportionately spent, the government should rethink its
policies regarding foreign workers. We do need foreign workers,
but it seems irrational to spend Rp 5 trillion a year on their
wages.

Have we lost our sense of priority as we try to raise the
dignity of our people? Are we indulging in a spending
extravaganza for the mere sake of appearing fashionable? Perhaps
we're just trapped into thinking that whatever comes from abroad
must be better than what we have at home.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta