Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)

Manpower Minister Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri is set to make proficiency in the Indonesian language a requirement for both existing expatriates in Indonesia and prospective foreign workers.

Hanif said his ministry was planning to establish some kind of online Indonesian language proficiency test for expat workers. The test would be accessible outside Indonesia for workers yet to come to the country.

'€œ[They] must understand that our intention to implement the policy is reciprocal,'€ Hanif said on Wednesday at the Presidential Palace, pointing out that Indonesia provided language training for workers before sending them to Japan or South Korea.

'€œSome foreign professionals come to this country and after several years here can still only say '€˜selamat pagi [good morning]'€™ and '€˜terima kasih [thank you]'€™. It'€™s not fair for us,'€ he complained. '€œIt shows that they have no intention to learn Indonesian.'€

Hanif said the planned policy would be imposed on foreigners already working in the country.

'€œWhen we finally put it into effect, it will cover new workers [applying to work in Indonesia], but there will be an adjusted mechanism for existing ones. For example, they will be allowed to remain in Indonesia [during the test period] but will have to prove their proficiency,'€ he explained.

Hanif'€™s office is still discussing the technical matters related to the implementation of the plan, which will involve language institutions creating the test mechanism.

The requirement was in fact laid out in the 2013 Manpower Minister Regulation No. 12 on procedures for the use of foreign workers. However, the stipulation remains vague.

'€œThis has already been regulated in the previous regulation; however, we want to enforce and strengthen it,'€ he said.

Article 26 Paragraph 1 of the 2013 regulation stipulates a number of requirements for foreign workers to obtain working permits in Indonesia, including the ability to communicate in Indonesian. However, the regulation excludes commissioners, directors and those in temporary employment.

According to the ministry'€™s expatriate employment permit (IMTA) records, the number of foreign workers in Indonesia in 2014 was 68,762, lower than the 68,957 foreign workers in 2013 and 72,427 foreign workers in 2012.

Citizens of China, Japan, South Korea, India and Malaysia dominate expatriate numbers.

The 2014 data showed that 21,751 expat workers were professionals, 15,172 were advisers or consultants, 13,991 were in managerial positions, 9,879 were directors, 6,867 were supervisors and 1,101 were commissioners. Meanwhile, 36,732 people worked in the trade and service sector, 24,041 in industry and 8,019 in agriculture.

Hanif said the test would anticipate the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) later this year.

Ah Maftuchan, a public policy expert, said that with the advent of the AEC it was more important to increase the competitiveness of Indonesian workers, particularly soft-skilled workers, for example, by providing them with better competence certification.

'€œHowever, aside from that context, the plan to require all foreign workers to be able to speak Indonesian is good. It can improve our pride as a nation and at the same time serve as a soft approach in diplomacy, particularly in the region,'€ Ah argued.

Popular

Govt urged police to investigate alleged exploitation, assault of circus performers

Journalist groups urge stronger protections after mass layoffs

Malaysia seeks trade legal harmonization in ASEAN