Indonesia’s proposed plan to allow dual citizenship is gaining significant support, with migrant groups hinting at their willingness to return to the country. In early May, a meeting was convened by the government with organizations that represent Indonesians abroad and families of mixed nationality with an aim to solicit their opinions on the plan.
During the meeting, these groups expressed a readiness to return to Indonesia if dual citizenship were granted. This arrangement would simplify the process of finding employment, setting up businesses, and owning residential and commercial land in the country.
Cahyo Rahadian Muzhar, the director general at the Law and Human Rights Ministry, affirmed the occurrence of the meeting. He also disclosed that the government is considering other solutions to encourage Indonesians living abroad to come back, one of which includes making it easier for children born to parents of different nationalities to reclaim their Indonesian citizenship.
Coordinating Maritime and Investment Affairs Minister Luhut Panjaitan had previously stated that dual citizenship would be granted to proficient migrants in the near future to address the shortage of digital talent within the homeland. If this comes to fruition, Indonesia would be the largest nation, by population, in Asia to authorize dual citizenship.
The process of skilled natives leaving the country, known as brain drain, has presented an ongoing issue for Indonesia’s government. Recent statistics indicate that the number of Indonesians renouncing their citizenship spiked five times over the course of four years, reaching 1,600 in 2021 as they searched for advanced opportunities overseas. This poses a hurdle for President Joko Widodo's aim of securing increased investment from giant tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla that need an elevated number of trained workers.
Joko Widodo, more commonly known as Jokowi, has been advocating for the provision of dual citizenship since 2015, but lawmakers have rebuffed his efforts citing national security risks and fears of intensified competition for job opportunities.