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