Saudi Ambassador Reports On Investment Barriers

Saudi Ambassador Reports On Investment Barriers

Thursday, 05 Dec 2024

His Excellency Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Amudi, the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Indonesia, met with the Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Prisons of the Republic of Indonesia, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights building in Kuningan, Jakarta, on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. During the meeting, Ambassador Faisal sought support for facilitating economic cooperation and investment between the two nations, as well as tourism initiatives. "Indonesia is one of the Muslim-majority countries with significant influence and a robust economy in Southeast Asia, actively participating in the G20; however, we still face obstacles in entering as investors and tourists," stated Ambassador Faisal on Thursday, December 5, 2024.

Ambassador Faisal emphasized that the movement of individuals is crucial for enhancing cooperation between the two countries. He also expressed hope that Indonesia would resume sending Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) to Saudi Arabia.

He noted that currently, the largest number of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia does not come from Muslim countries but rather from India, Thailand, and the Philippines. "It would be preferable if the workforce entering Saudi Arabia also included partners from Muslim nations," remarked Faisal. Meanwhile, Minister Yusril indicated that the request from the Saudi government would be thoroughly examined. However, he mentioned that the Golden Visa policy recently launched by the Indonesian government should already facilitate investor entry into Indonesia.

There has already been a Golden Visa policy established during President Jokowi's administration, which received strong support from President Prabowo. This initiative has significantly facilitated the entry of investors into Indonesia, according to Yusril. He also advocated for negotiations regarding the request for Indonesia to resume sending migrant workers to Saudi Arabia. It is noteworthy that the number of Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi Arabia once reached 2 million, but has now dwindled to approximately 100,000, likely due to a moratorium that has been in effect for around a decade.

Yusril emphasized that it is indeed time for both nations to engage in discussions to reach a comprehensive agreement that addresses not only the barriers in investment and economic sectors but also labor issues. He highlighted the necessity of legal protection for Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, Yusril stated that the existing cooperation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, which has been functioning effectively, should be continued and expanded. "I have compiled all the requests from Your Excellency, and we will coordinate them internally as well as among ministries, including the technical ministries under our coordination and other relevant agencies," he remarked. (reza@insightinnews.com)

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