Jakarta. Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Ministry launched a new online service for overseas Indonesians on Tuesday (09/01) as part of a concerted government effort to take on more innovative approaches to protect Indonesian citizens.

"This means there’s now a single database for Indonesian citizens living abroad, a single system, single set of data and single-standard consular service," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a press conference in Central Jakarta.

Gradually, all population and civil registry services will be available at all Indonesian missions, Retno said.

The online service is called Overseas Indonesians Service and Protection Portal and can be accessed on this URL: peduliwni.kemlu.go.id.

The new system allows Indonesians living abroad to access employment and immigration services easily.

"In the past three years, the government has been working hard to ensure we're always there for our citizens, wherever they may be," Retno said.

She said the current citizen protection services are based on the "beyond protection" principle.

In 2017, the ministry established an Overseas Indonesians database fully integrated with the national database.

According to the new database, almost 3 million Indonesians were living overseas in 2017.

They can now access all the services and protection available to them using a single identity number.

The Safe Travel mobile app is also available for Indonesians traveling outside of their country to get quick assistance while on the road.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry and the General Election Commission (KPU) also signed a memorandum of understanding last December to ensure overseas Indonesians will be able to cast their vote during the 2018 regional election and 2019 presidential and general elections at all Indonesian missions.