Tapping the Indonesian Diaspora Potential

How strong is Indonesia’s diaspora in number? Muhidin and Utomo suggests that the exact number can’t simply be determined due to the definitions of the word “diaspora” itself, source of data, and variables included. Up to 2015, the estimated size of diaspora is roughly defined into 2.9 to 8 million.[1] However, as the definition of Indonesian Diaspora hasn’t been settled, the variety of definition might include people of any nationality with major Indonesian ancestry, not necessarily born in Indonesia or hold Indonesian passport. The discussion of diaspora criteria can go as diverse as defining a Suriname Javanese as Indonesian because of his great-great-great grandfather was originated from a small village in Central Java. Or the likes of Belgian national football player Radja Nainggolan who holds a surname from his biological Bataknese father yet having no means for direct contribution towards Indonesia. To categorise population with remote connection with Indonesia will overestimate the number generated and dampens the national strategic planning for diaspora population.

If we are to specify the definition of Indonesian diaspora as Indonesia-born population living abroad — for the sole purpose of implementing national public policy towards diaspora community — we can generate clearer estimation of the number. This definition is henceforth called “Overseas Indonesian” and can be used interchangeably with Indonesian diaspora.

Statistics provided by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) in 2015 suggested that around 3.9 million is indicated as the population of Indonesian-born population residing abroad.[2] The largest portion, around 3.4 million, immigrated to Asian countries, with only 415.399 people lives in developed regions. More than 50% of Indonesian overseas lives in Asia. The figures, at best, represents 2% of total Indonesia population. This is comparable with India, the largest democracy as well as the largest diaspora population in the world with 15.5 million people living outside the dense India with 1.26 billion population, although more Indians live in developed country and more dispersed in each region.

The diasporas are represented in several organisation based on their purpose of living abroad. Indonesia Diaspora Network, initiated by former Deputy Foreign Minister Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, held its first congress in Los Angeles 2012, and recently organised their third congress in Jakarta, August 2015. The network actively advocates Indonesian abroad on dual citizenship issue to enables children from parents of two nationalities to have Indonesian passport along with their country of birth’s passport. In October 2015 during a meeting with the network in Washington, D.C., President Joko Widodo pledges to push the bill of dual citizenship in DPR (House of Representatives). Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi already conduct communications with Ministry of Law and Human Rights to catalyse the bill and stated that the direction of such policies already been made clear.[3]

The diaspora community holds economic and knowledge capital. Edward Wanandi, chairman of Indonesia Diaspora Network, explained the remittances gap between Indonesia and other large population country. Chinese diaspora contribute up to US$ 780 million in remittances, while Indian diaspora gave US$ 180 million. Indonesian diaspora potential is considered untapped given the fact that it merely contributes to US$ 8 million, which is particularly little even when compared with Filipino diaspora with US$ 25 million worth of remittances.[4] Indonesian nationals in United States has an average annual income of US$ 59.000, significantly higher than American citizen with US$ 45.000.

In knowledge sector, Indonesian Diaspora founded Ikatan Ilmuwan Indonesia Internasional (Indonesian Scholar Network) with academic cluster ranged from Social Studies to Robotic Engineering. The network held symposium and conference in cooperation with Ministry of Research and Technology and Higher Education and Indonesian embassy to project Indonesia research agendas in the future. The significance of the network is supported by the fact that 48% of Indonesian diaspora in the US has a minimum academic qualification of bachelor or equivalent.[5] 74 Indonesian academic professors also resides in the same country, conducting research and tutelage in American universities. Its student counterpart, Perhimpunan Pelajar Indonesia (Indonesian Student Association) functions as a channel to connect Indonesian students abroad. Present in every city with significant Indonesian student populations, PPI holds various range of events from gathering, festival, or webinar. Using internet and social media as their primary means of communications, PPI also connects Indonesians who aspire to study abroad with students that are already studying abroad, providing essential information and best practice for studying and living abroad.

Indonesian scholar and student network has a potential to become what Peter M. Haas called as an epistemic community. Which by definition provided is “a network of professionals with recognized expertise and competence in a particular domain and an authoritative claim to policy-relevant knowledge within that domain or issue-area.”[6] If national government is able to muster the diaspora knowledge capital, epistemic community can provide alternative take on policymaking process by using knowledge, causal, and principled beliefs in transnational and international institutions level of analysis with minimum political motivation that usually present in other actors. One suggestion might to integrate professional epistemic community to the bureaucracy, providing them with inside insight and active involvement in policy making process. However, this can only possible if the national government acknowledge and value the branch of science disciplined by the scholars and therefore providing them with the necessary resources to transfer foreign knowledge into national policies.

[1] Muhidin, S. and Utomo, A. (2016). Global Indonesian Diaspora: How many are there and where are they?. J. ASEAN Studies, 3(2), p.93.

[2] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, (2015). Trends in International Migrant Stock: Migrants by Destination and Origin. [online] United Nations. Available at: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/data/estimates2/data/UN_MigrantStockByOriginAndDestination_2015.xlsx [Accessed 14 Aug. 2016].

[3] The Jakarta Post. (2015). Dual citizenship for Indonesians abroad. [online] Available at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/11/02/issue-day-dual-citizenship-indonesians-abroad.html [Accessed 14 Aug. 2016].

[4] Beritasatu. (2015). Diaspora Indonesia Sumbang Pendapatan Terbesar untuk Tanah Air. [online] Available at: http://www.beritasatu.com/nasional/298493-diaspora-indonesia-sumbang-pendapatan-terbesar-untuk-tanah-air.html [Accessed 20 Aug. 2016].

[5] Media Indonesia. (2016). Jokowi Rangkul Diaspora. [online] Available at: http://mediaindonesia.com/news/read/62344/jokowi-rangkul-diaspora/2016-08-19 [Accessed 20 Aug. 2016].

[6] Haas, P. (1992). Introduction: epistemic communities and international policy coordination. International Organization, 46(01), p.1.

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