Indonesia to Hire Foreign Workers in New Capital Project

IDNAround – Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has again explained why the government decides to hire foreign workers to supervise the new capital city or IKN project. He said people criticizing the decision are not aware of the current situation.

Luhut gave an example of the construction project of the Padalarang Station project for the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train. He claimed that the project would not complete as expected if foreigners were not hired.

“Because they work fast, we have to learn [from them],” he said at Halim Station, East Jakarta, on Thursday, June 22, 2023.

Previously, Luhut stated clearly the need for foreigners to oversee the IKN project. He emphasized that the quality of work is the major key. “So I have reported to the president that we have to hire bule-bule (foreigners) as supervisors to maintain quality,” he said in a meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) on June 9, 2023.

The chairman of the Investment Acceleration Task Force also explained that his side had identified development plans, incentive schemes, and business models, as well as land status to be offered to investors. A number of countries, he claimed, have shown interest in the project including United Arab Emirates, China, Middle Eastern countries, and Singapore.

The government’s decision to hire foreign workers meet with criticism. Director of the Center for Economic and Law Studies (Celios) Bhima Yudhistira argued that the government should prioritize local workers.

“It’s unfortunate if [the government] employs foreign workers, especially for the supervisor level,” Bhima said when met at Menara Rajawali, South Jakarta, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. “There are many competent and qualified local workers.”