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strong>Oct. 13, p9

The city administration will intensify the supervision of foreign workers ahead of the ASEAN economic community (AEC) scheduled for the end of 2015 to ensure that certain strategic positions are not occupied by staff from overseas. '€œThe position of human resources manager or director may not be held by an expatriate as they deal with personnel recruitment and compliance with the labor laws,'€ head of the Manpower and Transmigration Agency Priyono said on Saturday.

He said his team would conduct inspections to supervise companies recruiting expatriates because, although Indonesia was committed to labor liberalization under the AEC, only certain jobs in certain sectors would be open to expatriates.

Your comments:

I look forward to the next bit where the head of the Manpower and Transmigration Agency Priyono states, '€œNext week we are going to release all the accounting details of where the US$1,200 yearly training fee we charge for every expatriate position is to be allocated along with last year'€™s accounts.

We are also releasing details of our training courses developed with local businesses and universities to ensure Indonesians are fully qualified and independently certified to hold positions currently held by expatriates.

We have finally realized that we cannot just wish it so we actually have to learn from Japan, Singapore and Malaysia and make it so.'€

Rusty Nails

Nobody would hire an expat if any local staff were available to do the job.

More likely, reducing expatriates will reduce job opportunities, not free them up.

Kantisini

OK, round up the ones breaking the laws.

While you are at it, how about doing something about the businesses that put people in illegal positions and have people working without the proper work permits or visas?

The majority of workers are only following what the employer tells them, or in some cases the employers insist on maintaining their employment.

Do something about the employers first.

X Simaging

Most of the expats I know don'€™t just work for companies but they also are the ones that find overseas cash injections to fund most projects.

I think this is quite an important aspect as to how expats contribute. Money makes the world go around.

Abdul Malik