Indonesia (Aug 11)
Consulate-General of Indonesia ๐ฎ๐ฉ
Hey everyone! Welcome to our first collab! On this trip we worked with Kick Action, a student organization teaching helpers martial arts and self-defense, to learn more about how helpers come to Hong Kong, the issues that they face in the households, and how the Indonesian Consulate plays a role in it. (only use if Justin says collab is ok)
Just like their Malaysian neighbors to the north, the Indonesian Consulate is also located in its own building, aptly named the Indonesia Building in Causeway Bay. Entering the consulate, we were seated in a small corner with Batik fabric lining the walls. Quickly we were introduced to Ms. Prassanti, the Consul of Socio-Cultural affairs, and Ms. Ayu, the Vice-Consul of Socio-Cultural affairs.
After quick introductions, we learned a little bit about the rich history of the Indonesian Consulate in Hong Kong. The mission was established in 1951, had moved to the building in 1975, and used all 21 floors of the building for consular business. This was different from the Malaysian Consulate, which leased out most of its floors to other businesses. Furthermore, the consulate was open 6 days a week instead of the usual of 5. The reason for this increased activity was to service the 170,000 Indonesians currently living in Hong Kong, by far the largest number of foreign residents we have encountered so far. 90% of these residents are domestic workers, who come to Hong Kong for remittance purposes. As such, the consulate is open on Sundays, which is usually the day most helpers get off work.
As we learned, the Indonesian Consulate does a lot of work in helping domestic workers file complaints, and also has oversight over the agencies that bring in helpers. We learned the consulate has a 24-hour hotline for complaints, of which many are regarding a lack of rest days and sleep, long working hours, salary problems, employers withholding private documents, and to a lesser extent but still prevalent, physical abuse. In these cases, the consulates will work with agencies to contact employers to solve the problems (as direct consulate to employer contact is outside their jurisdiction). Many domestic workers are also afraid to go directly to the consulate, so many talk to local organizations and unions who contact the consulate for aid. The consulate also gives out licenses to Hong Kong agencies so they can employ Indonesian domestic workers, and as they have a yearly review, they are able to revoke a license if it is found that the agency isnโt protecting the rights of their workers.
Outside of domestic workers, spreading Indonesian culture is also a focus for the consulate, through encouraging tourism and participating in cultural events. Hong Kong is a large source of tourism for Indonesia, and the Consulate has been trying to encourage tourists to visit other parts of the country, not only Bali. Furthermore, they have worked with many local Indonesians and the Hong Kong government to better diffuse culture, holding a stall at the Hong Kong Book Fair (which we visited), participating in the HK flower show, and promoting Indonesian art like Batik fabrics. Indonesian food is also relatively prevalent in Hong Kong, with Nasi Goreng, and your favorite garlic noodles from 7-11, which are made from Indomieโs Mi Goreng.
Economically, Indonesia and Hong Kong also have strong ties. Outside of remittances, Hong Kong is also Indonesiaโs 2nd largest source of investment, and there are many Indonesian banks that serve the local community here in Hong Kong. Furthermore, Indonesia exports a lot of coal and foodstuffs to Hong Kong, while importing gold.
Following our interview, we were also given a small tour of the facility, which we enjoyed thoroughly. We were surprised to find that every floor had a different role, even holding a mosque on the 3rd floor of the building. As we left, we were also given goodie bags, inside holding
Given the the hospitality that we received from the Consulate and their staff, we thank them greatly for their time, and we highly encourage you all to visit Indonesia in the future.