Oyos Saroso H.N, Bandarlampung – Activists from NGOs in Lampung have voiced their protest over the ongoing visit by 10 Lampung officials and 15 council members to Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen.
They deemed the visit, arranged as part of a dialogue program with Indonesian migrant workers (TKI) from Lampung working in Hong Kong from Jan. 17 to Jan. 22, as a waste of state funds.
"The program is nothing other more than a vacation. We believe there is a gratification motive as the visit's purpose is vague. If it is to improve the TKI placement system to Hong Kong, there's no need to send dozens of officials there," said Strategic Studies and Policies Center (Pusbik) director Aryanto, in Bandarlampung, on Monday.
Aryanto said the visit is just an excuse by the Lampung provincial administration in order to disburse assistance funds from the provincial budget in 2010. He added the visit was regarded as inefficient because only 150 TKI worked there.
"Based on information the budget for the purpose amounted to Rp 250 million [US$25,000] but we believe the amount is more as they will also visit Macau and Shenzhen in China.
"Besides the Rp 250 million allocated by the Lampung administration, according to reports the visit is also financed by the Indonesian consulates in Hong Kong and China."
Aryanto added the visit breached Presidential Instruction No. 11/2005 on overseas official visits.
"Besides a waste of funds, the Home Ministry apparently has not been notified of the visit. The Home Ministry's Information Center head Saut Situmorang said he had not been notified of the visit. Besides the lack of permission, the number of participants is also too big."
Lampung Parliament Watch (LPW) head Tisnanta said the visit was not beneficial. "It would be better if the funds were used to improve the TKI placement system at the local level. Rp 250 million is a huge amount for Lampung, especially now as many poverty issues remain unaddressed."
Lampung Governor Sjachroedin Z.P. objected to criticism that the visit was wasteful and took credit for the idea.
"So far, many TKI from Lampung have been involved in a number of cases overseas, and some have even returned home dead. Eventually, they were known to come from Lampung because they applied as TKI by using identity cards from other provinces in Indonesia.
"The official visit is in the framework of studying the TKI placement system so that we can provide protection for those working overseas."
Sjachroedin added Lampung was one of the provinces sending TKI overseas, such as to Hong Kong.
He said prospective migrant workers were provided with skills training at training centers before being placed overseas.
"They are also taught English and Mandarin. Based on our evaluations thus far, the condition of trained TKI from Lampung is better compared to those leaving overseas through other provinces or middlemen."
Lampung legislative vice speaker Hantoni Hasan had said earlier he and 14 council members would visit Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen under the invitation of the provincial administration.