TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko `Jokowi` Widodo said today, Oct. 30, the number of foreign workers (TKA) was less than one percent of workers in Indonesia. Jokowi marked the statement during his speech in the opening of the Republic of Indonesia Catholic Women’s Congress XX (WKRI) at the Grand Mercure Jakarta, Kemayoran.

The number of foreign workers in other countries, he added, was higher than that of in Indonesia. In Uni Emirates Arab, for example, foreign workers amounted to 80 percent, Saudi Arabia 33 percent, Brunei 32 percent, Singapore 24 percent, Malaysia 5 percent, and Indonesia 0.03 percent.

“It is less than one percent, how come you make a fuss about it? Rumor said the number reaches millions; when it was calculated? You can check to at the immigration,” Jokowi noted.

The President deemed he was obliged to explain the issue. “If such issue is not answered, people will think it is the fact,” he said, asserting that the saying about 10 million foreign workers from China planned to enter Indonesia was a hoax.

“Many people believe this issue. If I do not explain it over and over, they will think it is the fact,” Jokowi added. The former Jakarta governor underlined that the number of foreign workers in the country reached some 80,000 people.

“From China, the number [of foreign workers] amounted to less than 24,000 people, while Indonesian labors there reached 80,000 people,” he said. Jokowi added that other countries also allow foreign workers in their country in a bid to develop their human resources.

ANTARA