Foreign workers up in Tangerang

TANGERANG: With the number of foreign workers in Tangerang increasing over the past three years, the municipal administration has been unable to monitor their presence.

The municipal Permits and Capital Investment Office (KPKPM) chief, Dafyar Elyadi admitted on Thursday that because the municipality's agencies lack in good coordination, they found it hard to monitor the foreign workers.

"We have received reports about the foreign workers from the municipal manpower office but we have no knowledge how many have returned to their respective countries," he told the press.

He said the manpower office has depended on reports given by industrial firms that employed the foreign workers but had never followed them up with the firms.

According to Adang Turwana of the manpower office, most foreigners in Tangerang work as company leaders or experts in various sectors, such as textiles, chemicals, electronics, garment, ceramics and food and beverages.

He reported that there were 356 foreign workers who worked in the municipality in 2000. This number rose to 360 in 2001 and increased to 393 in 2002. Since January this year, the number has already reached 422.

"Most of them come from South Korea, Taiwan and Japan," he said.--JP