TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri confirmed that there are thousands of foreign workers from China that have entered and worked in Indonesia. Based on the Manpower Ministry’s expatriate work permit (IMTA), there are at least 41,000 workers from China that have been granted work permit. Until June 2015, Minister Hanif confirmed there had been at least 12,000 Chinese workers in Indonesia.
Controversy regarding Chinese workers in Indonesia emerged after several media outlets reported that several infrastructure development projects are fully carried out by Chinese workers in several locations in Indonesia.
One of them is Celukan Bawang PLTU development in Buleleng, Bali, which is undertaken by four contractors: China Huadian Power Plant, China Huadian Engineering Co. Ltd, PT CR 17 and local partner PT General Energy Bali. Chinese workers have been easy to find in that city since the project started three years ago.
“All IMTA that we issued for those two factories are temporary with working period of six months in construction, not production. After that, they must leave,” said Hanif. “These foreign workers can only be placed in certain expert positions. So, if they are discovered to be placed in low positions, we will take action,” he said.
Minister Hanif said the existence of the Chinese workers should not be exaggerated. “Indonesia only needs 70,000 foreign workers. Compared with population of 240 millions and workforce of 129 millions, they don’t even cover 0.1 percent,” said Hanif. “So, don’t scare people with foreign workers issue.”
TIM TEMPO
