Govt to improve quality of services sector
Govt to improve quality of services sector
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is to improve its performance in the
services sector, which currently lags behind other industrial
sectors, a government minister said yesterday.
Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief pointed to countries like
Singapore and the United States as countries to be imitated for
their strong services sector.
"Despite lacking major commodity industries of its own,
Singapore, for instance, excels in the service sector," he said,
adding that it was time for Indonesia to do the same,
particularly in the export of its work force abroad.
"We are studying this and trying to improve the quality of
this sector. It is a very strategic sector," said Latief after
meeting with President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace.
Latief then unveiled a plan in which the government, together
with various professional organizations, would undertake to boost
the ability of the Indonesian work force so that it can also
excel in this field.
One of the first steps is to hold a national meeting of
professional organizations some time next month. The gathering of
doctors, public accountants, lawyers, nurses, architects, seamen,
and engineers will be opened by President Soeharto.
"We'll boost this sector of service," he said, citing
journalists, too, as professionals who need to improve their
service and ability.
"Why aren't any of our journalists working at CNN (Cable News
Network) for instance, why don't our cameramen become cameramen
at the BBC (British Broadcasting Cooperation) if their ability is
really good enough," he said.
Apart from discussing the service sector, Latief yesterday
said that his ministry is also considering establishing a
consultancy firm to aid Indonesian graduates returning from
abroad seek employment.
"The issue of employment at home was one of the questions
frequently posed when I met with Indonesian students on my recent
trip to San Francisco," he said.
"There's a possibility that the Ministry of Manpower will
prepare a section in its offices to establish a consultancy for
both our foreign and locally educated graduates," he remarked.
Latief's trip to San Francisco was part of an extended foreign
tour in which he also went to Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Latief said there are currently 3,388 Indonesians undergoing
work training in Japan. This number is expected to triple in the
near future to about 10,000.
While in Saudi Arabia, Latief said, he found that many
Indonesians were working there using their visas obtained for
umrah, the minor haj pilgrimage. (mds)