"Working overseas is part of education. When you return home, you have increased knowledge and capability. Indonesia needs young people who can contribute to its future development. That's you," Thohir said at a ceremony to send off migrant workers in Jakarta on Monday.
Migrant workers must be able to adapt quickly and embrace good culture that can be emulated in Indonesia, he added.
"We encourage this because successful development requires good character-building by its people," he remarked.
Thohir also appealed to migrant workers to cultivate the habit of saving money and pursue their intention to start their own businesses once they return.
He said that the government is consistently pursuing industrialization to become a country that can provide job opportunities.
"Our problem is the lack of entrepreneurs who can help create job opportunities. Don't forget to save money as capital for your business," he said.
According to him, there are four sectors that currently have good prospects for entrepreneurship: health, food, the digital economy, and creative industries.
The medical sector will become crucial, considering the ever-growing Indonesian population, he said.
"Indonesian people need to be healthy; it's impossible to compete if they are not healthy," he said.
The food sector has good potential given that the Indonesian population will reach 330 million, he pointed out.
"After the downstreaming of natural resources, we need to encourage the industrialization of the food sector," Thohir said.
He also expects that the national digital economy scene will not only serve as a platform for other countries' marketing activities.
Lastly, the creative economy industry serves as a booster for national micro, small, and medium enterprises, he added.
On the same occasion, the head of the Migrant Workers' Protection Agency (BP2MI), Benny Rhamdani, said that migrant workers must not be underestimated as they are currently the largest contributors to foreign exchange.
"Migrant workers must be respected. This event is a form of the state honoring migrant workers," he added.
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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Anton Santoso
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