OJK: Migrant Workers Must Have Future Savings

JAKARTA - Chief Executive of the Financial Services Business Behavior Supervisory, Education, and Consumer Protection of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) Frederica Widyasari Dewi stated that Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) must prepare a better future.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what kind of future should be prepared in the future. Whether later through financial inclusion, here there will be several companies that can help, whether it can then, for example, have savings for the future, then may apply for a loan to start MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), start a business, and others," he said at a Financial Education event for PMI in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Monday, April 21.

Referring to classic stories among PMIs, usually their salaries are sent all to Indonesia, but they don't hold money at all because they don't have savings. Therefore, better preparation for the future for PMI and their families needs to pay attention to how to manage finances, start the MSME business, and so on.

He explained that many of PMI earn income from their workplaces, but are spent on consumptive matters or buying certain assets without considering other needs.

"For example, to buy a house, thank God the house is good, but don't let everyone go there, because for example, if you want to start business activities and others, it might be a bit difficult for us not to have cash and others," said Frederica.

Based on these various problems, OJK and Bank Indonesia (BI) provide briefing to PMI candidates regarding financial education.

"God willing, this will be one of the continuous programs that we will carry out as synergy and collaboration," said Kiki, who is familiarly called.

On this occasion, he also emphasized PMIs to be aware of scams (fraud) while working abroad.

Characterically, the Indonesian people are considered to have a good, friendly, and helpful personality. However, Frederica emphasized that there are people who will take advantage of the opportunity to deceive PMI so that they can give money or apply for illegal loans with certain lure.

Unfortunately, some PMIs cannot because they are involved in debt matters in the country where they work.

"There are so many sad stories that our PMI cannot go home and so on because it is related to the debt there. Then, his name was used to open an account which turned out to be a crime and others," he said.