Pramono Anung (left): Just work first
Man (bottom right): Good luck kids!
The government has lashed out in response to the hashtag #KaburAjaDulu (Just Run Away), which has gone viral across the country in recent weeks, with Deputy Labour Minister Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan telling those who want to migrate from Indonesia to work abroad not to come back.
Speaking at the Ministry of Villages and Underdeveloped Regions offices in Central Jakarta, Gerungan initially claimed he doesn't have any problem with the hashtag. "It's okay, we don't mind the hashtag", said Gerungan on Monday February 17.
He then took the opportunity to hit back at those wanting to leave saying "If you want to leave, just leave. If necessary, don't come back", he declared.
Jakarta governor Pramono Anung meanwhile responded to #KaburAjaDulu by claiming that he prefers to #KerjaAjaDulu (Just Work First). Anung made the remark following a parade at the National Monument in Jakarta on February 20, but did not explain what he mean by "just work first". "For me, I'll just #KerjaAjaDuju", he said.
The #KaburAjaDulu trend has been gaining traction among young Indonesians on social media, with many netizens sharing their experiences of working overseas and encouraging others to follow suit. The phenomenon is fuelled by the lack of decent job opportunities at home and the perceived benefits of working abroad, including higher salaries and an improved quality of life.
It also reflects a growing disappointment among many Indonesians with the increasingly chaotic economic, social and political conditions in the country in the first 100 days of President Prabowo Subianto's new administration, in particular the recent budget cuts to fund his flagship free nutritious meals (MBG) program for school children, which many see as wasteful and ineffective.
According to government data in 2023 there were more than 6 million Indonesians living and working in countries such as Malaysia, China, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Australia. At least 1,000 Indonesians seeking better jobs and lifestyles renounce their citizenship each year to become Singaporeans, and almost 4,000 Indonesians become Singapore citizens between 2019 and 2022.
