'Migrants have more potential'

The city administration has partly blamed the capital's large population for the high unemployment and social disturbances. As a control measure, Governor Sutiyoso intends to close the city to unskilled and poor migrants. The Jakarta Post interviewed several residents about the plan.

Oki Savitri is an employee at an international organization in Ragunan, South Jakarta. She was born in Surakarta, Central Java, and has been living in the city for four years. She currently lives in Mampang, South Jakarta.

Basically, I don't agree with any regulation to ban all migrants from entering the city.

I don't believe that all the migrants will stay the rest of their lives in the city. They will go back home for their retirement, and so will I.

Besides, in many cases, migrants have proved to have more potential than those who live here.

However, I agree with the regulation if it is meant to curb the flow of unskilled migrants into the city. Many migrants, in fact, just come to the city without any reliable skills to compete for jobs here. As a result, they become unemployed and turn to begging.

Mamo, 60, is an employee of a private company in South Jakarta. He lives in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, with his two children and wife:

I disagree with the would-be policy because the regulation would not necessarily reduce the population's high density.

Every citizen is free to move to any part of the country, so I wonder why the city is banning people from migrating to Jakarta to seek their fortune. If they become jobless or homeless in Jakarta, I think that is a part of their destiny.

As long as people consider Jakarta to be the place to earn money easily and to enjoy life, migrants will continue to come to the city. In fact, many rural people strongly believe that.

But I think that before he draws up the regulation, it would be better for Governor Sutiyoso to observe the situation for himself at the grassroots level in order to have a clear idea about the lives of low-income people.

Buyung, 33, a street vendor selling shoes in Jatinegara, East Jakarta. He lives in Pisangan Baru, East Jakarta with his wife and two children:

I totally disagree with Sutiyoso's plan to close the city to migrants.

The regulations will not work. Let the hard life in the city teach the newcomers. Nature will decide if they can survive here or must leave the city. It sounds natural and fair, doesn't it?

Making such regulations is just a waste of money and favorable to a select group of people.

I'm aware that, in a way, migrants who work as street vendors like me actually violate the law for causing traffic congestion. But is this a justification to drive us away from the city?

Sahrul, 58, is a street vendor who sells denim clothes in Jatinegara, East Jakarta. He resides in Cibubur, East Jakarta with his wife and four children. Sahrul is from West Sumatra:

I completely disagree with the planned policy. It's totally unrealistic. It is not the proper solution to curb population growth in the city.

I'm not well-educated but we have to look at how regional autonomy is working in the rural areas. How much of the provincial revenue is allotted to support rural development? It's far too little.

So, it's quite natural then for people to come to the capital to earn money to survive.

I myself came here 40 years ago, not to become rich. I work as a vendor just for our daily meals, to rent our house and pay school fees for our children. In this light, is it wrong for us to be here?

Dina is a salesgirl at the Sarinah Department Store on Jl. MH Thamrin, Central Jakarta. She lives in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, with her family:

I disagree with the policy against migration. What right does the city administration have to prevent migrants from entering the city? It's against human rights, and the policy implies that no one is allowed to determine their own lives. How terrible!

I think an individual's life has nothing to do with population density, in case the ban is based on a fear of the city being overcrowded. I don't feel that the migrants here make the city crowded. Even if the city is larger and there are less people, this would not necessarily improve the people's welfare.

I think the success of individuals depends on their own destiny, not the size of the population.

Henki, 40, a chauffeur who used to work as a public minivan driver. He lives in Cawang, East Jakarta, with his wife and four children. He comes from Maluku:

I don't really agree or disagree with the governor's plan.

Lots of migrants come to my kampong in Cawang. They live along the riverbank. At first I felt a bit annoyed by their presence, but then I just thought why should I worry about them.

I only reckon that the more newcomers in the city, the tougher the competition to earn a living. In this case, I agree with the regulation.

On the other hand, I take pity on them. I mean, I'm also poor like them so I know how hard their lives are. I'm sure most of those coming here are poor.

If only the government made every region in the country prosperous, then migrants wouldn't flock to the city to improve their welfare.

Sometimes I think that I should leave the city and find work somewhere else. I'm fed up with the overcrowding here.

-- Leo Wahyudi S