Ministry Wants to Uphold Indonesian Language Requirement for Foreigners in Oil & Gas
Surabaya. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry says it will uphold restrictions for foreign workers in the oil and gas sector, including a requirement on foreigners to speak Indonesian, in order to protect local jobs ahead of an anticipated surge of incoming foreign workers once the Asean Economic Community comes into force at the end of the year.
The move would be against a recent directive of President Joko Widodo, who has stated that he wants to attract more foreign investment.
“This is one barrier to protect our workforce,” Naryanto Wagimin, director of the oil and gas engineering and environment division at the ministry, said on Wednesday.
Wagimin was referring to a 2013 ministerial decree that regulates provisions and procedures for the use of foreign labor in the oil and gas sector. Naryanto said one of the most important requirements would be that foreign workers be able to speak Indonesian, which would facilitate communication and the transfer of knowledge and skills to local staff.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the 2014-30 Indonesia gas industry roadmap in Surabaya.
Tri Rismaharini, the Surabaya mayor who was present at the event, also called for better protection of local jobs, in preparation for the AEC, which will make it easier for skilled workers to find work in other Asean nations.
Risma used the term “modern warfare” in reference to the AEC, explaining that workers would have to compete with their ability and skills. “We will be colonized again if we are not prepared,” Risma said.
“What we do here in Surabaya is based on efficient, effective and applicable thinking. Otherwise, the city will fall behind relative to other cities in the world,” she said, adding that the city was designing rules to give local companies preferential treatment over foreign-owned ones.
Naryanto’s and Risma’s comments are seen to be at odds with the president’s declared intention to boost foreign investment.
The president has ordered his government to drop restrictive regulations that curb foreign investment, including a proposed Indonesian language requirement for securing temporary working permits (KITAS) from the Manpower Ministry.
Foreign oil and gas workers would also need to secure recommendations from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry to get working permits.
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