"Indonesia's manpower is capable of working on global-scale infrastructure projects," the legislator, Kurniasih Mufidayati, noted in Jakarta on Saturday.
Mufidayati made the remarks in response to the recent finding of foreign workers employed for welding works at the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project in West Java.
National projects must prioritize employing domestic manpower and professionals, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw residents face job losses following their employers' decision on job cuts, she noted.
"We are optimistic that (the national projects) would optimize domestic manpower, as the projects would have huge potential for residents affected by job losses or salary cuts during the pandemic," Mufidayati remarked.
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Prioritizing domestic manpower in national projects will be consistent with President Joko Widodo's mission to develop a golden Indonesian generation and advance Indonesian human resources, the legislator stated.
The president's spirit must be demonstrated by the commitment to prioritize domestic professionals in filling vacancies in national projects, she affirmed.
"If foreign workers are required, then the regulation stipulates that they must have their Indonesian counterpart for the transfer of technology. Hence, the current question would be that have companies observed the requirement for the transfer of technology?" Mufiadayati remarked.
Since companies are required to submit foreign workers' utilization plans while applying for their work permits, the government ought to have the data to prepare and dispatch an equal number of Indonesian workers to hone their capabilities through training and upskilling, the legislator noted.
Some 1,500 Indonesian migrant workers have been involved in overseas infrastructure projects, including 500 professionals employed for the development of electric power plants in Bangladesh, Iraq, and Vietnam, she added.
"This means that our manpower capability has been recognized by the global community," Mufidayati affirmed.
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Translator: M Razi Rahman, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
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