The government has launched a plan to bring back the nine million migrants who are outside the country but retain Indonesian citizenship. It primarily targets people with a high level of education and professionalism. Incentives and concessions are being studied, as well as the possibility of retaining foreign citizenship. The pending issue of the Citizenship Law and internal security.
Jakarta () – The government’s plan is taking shape in Indonesia to encourage the return of members of the large diaspora, made up of nearly nine million people who retain Indonesian citizenship abroad, although there are many others who have abandoned to acquire a foreign one.
The objective is to convince them to contribute to the development of the archipelago with their capital and their knowledge, as well as their experience from other realities. Emigration for reasons of work or family reunification, which for many becomes permanent, has a strong impact on the country’s growth prospects, especially as regards people with a high level of education and professionalism. As happens, for example, with the thousands of young Indonesians who obtain Singapore citizenship every year.
One of the incentives for those who decide to return will be the granting of the same benefits that are guaranteed to the local population – although excluding political rights – and economic incentives, in addition to the possibility of retaining foreign citizenship.
The decision of the authorities, although necessary from the perspective of a country that proposes itself as a strong partner but also as a competitor of countries already established at the regional and global level in the productive and commercial sphere, could encounter important obstacles. In terms of potential but also difficulties, the first example to confront is India, a model that the Minister of Justice and Human Rights himself, Yasonna Laoly, has pointed out as a point of reference and inspiration.
The Overseas Citizenship of India program allows people of Indian origin and their spouses to permanently acquire Indian citizenship and live and work in India without time limitations, but not to acquire political rights, access public jobs or benefit from government subsidies. . As for taxes on what they earn in India, returnees are equal to other citizens and pay for the services they use in the same way as foreigners.
In Indonesia, the initiative, which has the strong support of outgoing president Joko Widodo and has already been defined in its main lines in operational meetings, could come into effect in July. It provides for the cooperation of the Ministry of Political, Legal and Security Affairs and has been designed to circumvent the “limitations” imposed by the Citizenship Law, whose amendment to allow the possibility of dual citizenship for all Indonesians is the which would have required more time and posed greater obstacles. Modifications to this law have been under consideration since 2016, but the veto of the parliamentary opposition, which is based mainly on fear of violations of national security, has so far prevented any progress.
Add Comment