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The International Postgraduate Research Conference in Manado 2018
1
Pro-People Foreign Policy as Indonesia's Response
toward Better Citizen Protection
Asep Setiawan1, Endang Sulastri2, Sumarno3
Abstract: The government of Joko Widodo introduced the pro-people foreign policy in response to
protect the economic migrants overseas. This study examines concept of pro-people foreign policy
orientation and how it is implemented. Taking the case of economic migrants in Malaysia, the study
applies qualitative method. The study found that the Indonesian government put people’s interest in
priority for its citizens abroad. A number of instruments are also made to realize pro-people
diplomacy in protecting Indonesian citizens overseas. However, with huge scale of problems like in
Malaysia, Indonesia still has to work harder to solve the issues of migrant workers overseas
comprehensively. Based on the study, a model of foreign policy is proposed in the formulation and
implementation of pro-people foreign policy.
Keywords: foreign policy, Indonesia, Joko Widodo, pro-people, diplomacy, Malaysia.
Introduction
The government of Indonesia under President Joko
Widodo commit to implement the principle of
Trisakti (three principles). These principles have
three pillars, namely Indonesia sovereign in its
politics, independent in its economy, and distinct in
its cultural character. These principles guide the
overall policy government including in foreign
policy.
Head of Agency for Policy Research and
Development Darmansjah Djumala (2014) explained
that the pillar of political sovereignty relates to the
independence from foreign intervention in
formulating and implementing policies. Meanwhile
the pillar of economic self-reliance is the foundation
for Jokowi's foreign policy that is oriented to the
interests of people. In the field of culture, Jokowi
prioritizes strategic cultural interests, namely the
promotion of cultural values and the unity of the
Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
As explained by Darmansjah Djumala, Jokowi's
foreign policy to some extent is different compare
Preisident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) in
practices. His comparison is based on four indicators:
operational, orientation, approach and priority issues.
In terms of orientation, Djumala described, SBY
prioritizes internationalism. In addition foreign policy
of Presiden Yudhoyono is moderate and more
focused on addressing political and democratic
issues. In contrast, Jokowi put people interest as the
main orientation. Djumala added Jokowi’s policy
more prioritize on the issue of pro-people economy
rather than political issues.
Pro-people of Jokowi’s domestic policy is translated
by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi as explained at
her speech in 2015. Retno described that Indonesia’s
foreign policy must be down-to-earth and must not
keep distance from the people’s interests. Therefore,
the foreign ministry will implement pro-people
diplomacy. In addition, “In implementing our
The International Postgraduate Research Conference, Manado
3
foreign policy, we will adopt firm and dignified
diplomacy. Diplomacy must be able to solve
differences and create opportunities to serve the
interests of the Indonesian state and people,” she
noted (2014). Foreign Minister Retno said that for the
period of government 2014-2019, Indonesia's
diplomacy abroad conducted by the diplomats of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs will relate to the interests
of the people.
In other words, Jokowi wants his government's
foreign policy to benefit the people and put forward
in the field of diplomacy by paying attention to the
needs of the people overseas. Minister of Foreign
Affairs Retno said the implementation of Indonesian
foreign policy should not be distant with the interests
of the people. This is in accordance with the vision
and mission that has been submitted by President
Joko Widodo.
A number of studies have been conducted to evaluate
what Jokowi did in his foreign policy at least within
the first year of his post. Aaron L. Connelly (2014),
for instance, mentioned that Indonesia's foreign
policy under Jokowi will focus on domestic issues.
Foreign affairs will be delegated to the ministry for
which it is assigned. The reason for this view because
Jokowi has no experiences in deal with international
affairs. Connelly's review submitted in October 2014
did not show the people’s policy of Jokowi's
government in foreign affairs. But he gave the
impression that his focus into domestic reform and
the absence of overseas experience suggests that the
president will lead in a less obvious position on a
number of foreign issues, less leadership in foreign
affairs and perhaps a more nationalist reaction on
international issues (Connelly, 2014).
In another analysis appearing late December 2015,
Sophie Qin explained that Jokowi's foreign policy
will continue to lead to the preservation of Indonesian
sovereignty and to intensify economic diplomacy.
Qin said that the attitude into Jokowi is different from
the attitude of the government of Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono who is active in international forum.
However Qin (2016) noted that Jokowi does
prioritize on people orientation policies in his
government. He did not mention about pro-people
diplomacy run by Jokowi's government.
Other article which direct touching study on pro-
people diplomacy was discussed by Muhammad Tri
Andika (2016). His study concluded that pro-people
diplomacy still provides an active space for
International Indonesia's presence in Asia Africa's
strategic partnership, Asia-Pacific cooperation and
the Organization for Islamic Cooperation.
Indonesia’s involvement demonstrates a commitment
to addressing regional and global issues that at the
same time focus on pro-people diplomacy can
improve domestic benefits. According to Andika, this
pro-people diplomacy includes protecting Indonesian
citizens abroad. But in his article, there is no
explanation on how led pro-people diplomacy be
implemented.
A comprehensive study a year and a half Jokowi’s
government is put forwarded by Donald E.
Weatherbee in his article: Understanding Jokowi's
Foreign Policy (2016). The Weatherbee study did
not touch on pro-people diplomacy concept and
practices. His work emphasizes more on foreign
policy aspects such as global maritime axis, economic
diplomacy, how Indonesia and ASEAN role under
Jokowi and how Indonesia faces South China Sea
problem.
Literature Review
Foreign policy is called a continuation of domestic
politics. If domestic politics is an action to realize the
national interest of a country then foreign policy is an
effort to realize the national interest with different
arena that is in foreign countries. To realize the
welfare of the people for example not only done in
the country but also obtained from the relationship
with other nations. And those who working abroad,
particularly migrant worker, should also expected
protection from the government.
Thus the focus of national interest is to realize the
welfare of the people not only achieved by spurring
development in the country but also opens
opportunities in the international world. Therefore,
the implementation of foreign policy is strongly
Asep, Endang and Sumarno / Pro-People Foreign Policy as Indonesia's Response toward
Better Citizen Protection. International Postgraduate Research Conference in Islamic Studies,
Social Science and Multiculturalism. Institut Agama Islam Negeri Manado. Manado 6-8 April 2018.
4
influenced by the national interest which became the
priority of a government.
Foreign policy then becomes a response and stimulus
that links domestic interests with opportunities
abroad. In the study of foreign policy a number of
experts focus on how the country responds to
international developments as a continuation of
changes in the country (Yani, 2017) How the
foreign policy undergoes a transformation over time
is illustrated in the following model:
According a model developed by Rosenau, foreign
policy is result of changes domestically (structural
change) and changes of environment (external
change). These two variables determine how foreign
policy implemented. Other variable that influence of
style of foreign policy a government is leadership.
Rosenau (1981) states that there are four possibilities
come from adaptive model. Four of pattern of
adaptive foreign policy are preservative adaptation
(responsive to both external and internal demands and
changes), acquiescent adaptation (responsive to
external demands and changes), intransigent
adaptation (responsive to internal demands and
changes), promotive adaptation (unresponsive to both
external and internal demands and changes).
Based on four possibilities of adaptive model is
response toward demand and changes in domestic
politics. A government to do changes in domestic
politics because of election or changes in government
due to reformation movement and domestic changes.
Governments that make changes in the country
because of elections or changes of government
caused by reform or revolution or the subsequent
change of government will emerge new demands.
Foreign policy is also a set of guidelines for selecting
actions directed outside the territory of a country. K.J.
Holsti (1983) provides three criteria for classifying
the objectives of a country's foreign policy, ie:
a. The values (values) that are the goals of the
decision makers.
b. Duration required achieving a predetermined goal.
In other words, there are short-term, medium-term,
and long-term goals.
c. The type of claim that a country submits to another
country.
Nevertheless, the objective of foreign policy remains
the same with the domestic policy of national interest
which is defined as an abstract concept which covers
various categories / wishes from a sovereign state.
This national interest is translated into a number of
areas such as politics, economics, security and socio-
culture.
Mangadar Situmorang (2015) considers that Jokowi's
foreign policy will emphasize national interest in the
country. According to him, Jokowi’s policies are:
1. Promoting identity as an archipelagic country in
the implementation of diplomacy and building
international cooperation;
2.Enhancing the global role through middle-power
diplomacy that places Indonesia as a regional power
and global power selectively by giving priority to
issues directly related to the interests of the
Indonesian nation and state; expanded Indonesia
involvement in Asia Pacific, and.
3. Formulating and implementing foreign policy
involving the role, aspirations and community
involvement.
With the commitment to protect the citizens wherever
they are and maintain the security, it is also called
that the pro-people diplomacy. This means that there
is clear vision that the element of national interest in
foreign policy will be based on the interest of the
people, whether in the economic, political or security
fields.
It appears that the Foreign Ministry emphasized the
interests of the people in the implementation of their
foreign policy. Even then the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs proclaimed a pro-people diplomacy.
This study uses a qualitative approach because the
implementation of foreign policy requires in-depth
The International Postgraduate Research Conference, Manado
5
study. According to Creswell this approach is for
exploring and understanding the meaning of
individuals or groups as a social or human problem.
In this approach the research process involves the
formulation of problems and procedures. Lexy J.
Moleong mentions qualitative research as research
that intends to understand the phenomenon of what is
experienced by research subjects such as behaviour,
perception, motivation, action, etc. This research uses
descriptive research method which is described as
depiction of the nature of a situation while running at
the time of research conducted and check the causes
of certain symptoms.
Data collection is conducted in several ways
according to qualitative data collection techniques
such as in-depth interviews, documentation studies
and focus group discussion. The research was
conducted mainly in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
because it was directly related to the implementation
of foreign policy. Interviews were also conducted
with a number of Indonesian workers, academician,
and officials in Malaysia. The analysis of the research
is qualitative in the nature.
Discussion and Findings
Discussion about a model’s populist of foreign policy
will be described in three elements. Firstly, the
conceptual of Indonesia’s foreign policy. Secondly, it
will discuss about structural and organizational
elements in the implementation of pro-people foreign
policy. The third is implementation of pro-people
diplomacy which is the embodiment of a people
orientation of foreign policy.
Indonesia's foreign policy since its independence in
1945 based itself on the mandate in the Preamble to
the 1945 Constitution. That mandate is part of the
state's obligation to be implemented with its working
tool, ministers and ministries. The mandate reads "...
protect the whole people of Indonesia and the entire
homeland of Indonesia, and in order to advance
general prosperity, to develop the nation's intellectual
life, and to contribute to the implementation of a
world order based on freedom, lasting peace and
social justice … “
In the era of President Soekarno foreign policy
focused more on maintaining independence while
during President Soeharto focused on economic
development by seeking partners abroad. Followed
by the era of reformation where the system is more
democratic diplomacy is also widespread because of
the demands from the people.
Pro-people diplomacy that becomes part of the five-
years program of the Indonesian government in the
era of President Joko Widodo which is a
manifestation of the national interest’s priority. The
national interest prioritized by the central government
affirms that the state is present in the midst of the
people everywhere. It is this country's presence that
makes foreign policy focus on the interests of the
people to be the main focus, not only in bilateral and
multilateral diplomacy between countries. Typically
foreign policy is focused on government to
government’s meetings in diplomatic activities in the
form of bilateral and multilateral conferences or
negotiations. People in these case citizens who are
abroad are not a priority in the negotiations because it
concerns the interests of government directly for
example in the state border or business contract.
Indonesia's Foreign Policy currently refers to the third
National Middle-Term Development Plan 2015-2019
based on the Vision and Mission Program of
President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
Vision Mission Development in 2015-2019 is the
realization Indonesia sovereign in its politics,
independent in its economy, and distinct in its
cultural character. Among the seven development
missions is the realization of an active free foreign
policy and strengthen identity as a maritime country.
This is where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
specifically plays a role in realizing the mission of
development (Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 2015):
1. Realizing national security capable of maintaining
regional sovereignty, sustaining economic
independence by securing maritime resources and
reflecting the personality of Indonesia as an
archipelagic country.
2. Creating an advanced, balanced, and democratic
society based on the rule of law.
Asep, Endang and Sumarno / Pro-People Foreign Policy as Indonesia's Response toward
Better Citizen Protection. International Postgraduate Research Conference in Islamic Studies,
Social Science and Multiculturalism. Institut Agama Islam Negeri Manado. Manado 6-8 April 2018.
6
3. Realizing free-active foreign policy and
strengthening identity as a maritime country.
4. Realizing the quality of human life of Indonesia is
high, advanced, and prosperous.
5. Realizing a competitive nation.
6. Making Indonesia an independent, advanced,
strong, and nation-based maritime state.
7. Realizing a society of personality in culture.
The foreign policy also emphasizes the priority of
what is mentioned in the first point: to bring the state
back to protect the entire nation and to provide a
sense of security to all citizens. In this context the
Foreign Ministry refers to the so-called state
presenting in foreign policy.
Among the priorities that Indonesian citizens can
really feel are the government’s involvements when
the citizens are abroad or working overseas. In a
Focus Group Discussion explained how the
relationship between the ideal concepts based on the
1945 Constitution with the policy at the operational
level.
Indonesian citizens abroad monitored are estimated at
2,862,495 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 2016).
Indonesia’s citizen overseas work from housemaid,
students to other professional fields. Nearly three
million figures are referred to as official data.
According to unofficial data the number of
Indonesian citizens abroad could reach three times
that which means nearly nine million people.
To realize the pro-people diplomacy, which is a real
program of people-oriented foreign policy, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs lays out the other points
of "service and protection of Indonesian Citizens and
Badan Hukum Indonesia (Legal Indonesian Entity)
and excellent Diasporas". This element is one of eight
strategic objectives set by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. Here it appears that the policy has emerged
so-called service for Indonesian citizens abroad.
Learning from the handling of previous cases, as
described in the Focus Group Discussion of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs also set the paradigm in
the arrangement of WNI problems. New paradigm
explains about the original reactive and responsive to
the pro active step as shown in the following figure.
Based on the figure, handling the cases are not only
to how big the case is handled but also the
arrangement of supporting instrument from upstream.
This means that when handling the case, the Foreign
Affairs Ministry also contributes to the settlement of
cases of sending Indonesian citizens abroad from
within the country.
To achieve this policy, the foreign ministry organizes
organizational arrangements whereby the Indonesian
Citizens Protection Agency and Indonesian Legal
Entities (BHI) are expanded and their budgets
enlarged. Structurally, the WNI and BHI Protection
Agency is under the Directorate General of Protocol
and Consular Affairs. To support this foreign-
oriented foreign policy, Foreign Minister Retno
Marsudi emphasized the need for a state presence in
the midst of its people. Foreign Minister Retno
(Kemenlu: 2016) outlined 5 (five) major issues that
must be considered by all elements in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs namely:
1. Protection and Services with the obligation to
provide protection to all citizens and Indonesian legal
entities abroad that is fast, responsive, and prioritizes
the quality of service to the public;
2. Rapid and real time response to world dynamics,
alert, monitor conditions that may affect and convey
appropriate policy recommendations;
3. Intensify communication to the public and develop
networking;
4. Efficiency, use the budget wisely and focus on
priority program implementation; and
5. Increase merit system.
To support pro-people diplomacy, the structure is also
strengthened as seen in the structure in the foreign
ministry. In the ministry structure issues related to the
protection of people abroad are given a place under
The International Postgraduate Research Conference, Manado
7
the Director General of Protocol and Consular
Affairs.
The people-oriented foreign policy emerges from the
priorities of the national interest proclaimed by the
Jokowi-JK government. From the national interest
expressed in the government program is then realized
by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Indonesia in the form of organizational arrangements
to accommodate the national priorities of
government. Institutional arrangement is then
followed by a budget that also accommodate the shift
of interest from just a diplomacy that is elitist with
attention to Indonesian citizens abroad, especially
those who have problems.
Regarding the amount of budget indicating that the
people-orientation in foreign policy in order to
protect citizen overseas is evident from the example
in budget 2017 around Rp 125 billion of budget of
Directorate General of Protocol and Consular 2017
that almost half the budget of Rp 60 billion is for the
protection and service of Indonesian Citizens and
Indonesian Legal Entities abroad. The magnitude of
this budget can be interpreted as a priority of the
government to provide better protection of Indonesian
citizens and Indonesian Legal Entity abroad as well
as accountability of the people's diplomatic policy.
The amount of this budget gives more meaning to the
protection of Indonesian citizens’ abroad relative
accommodated to nearly three million citizens with
most of their profession as workers.
Not only the structure and budget, the program for the
protection of Indonesian Citizens is also extended by
introducing applications, monitoring sites and even
SMS publications to introduce the location of
Indonesian representatives when members of any
community whether tourists or workers abroad upon
arrival in the destination country. SMS messages
from numbers belonging to members of the
community who still use the Indonesian provider
automatically turn on messages whose contents are
regarding the location and address of the Indonesian
representative office. Such a method is mentioned as
a new step to provide information transparently to the
public about the presence of the country in the
destination location.
In direct observation of this SMS functionality as
shown in Singapore and Malaysia, newly arrived
Indonesian citizen get special message from
Indonesian provider. This SMS message is part of the
Indonesian government's policy in providing
information to Indonesian citizens abroad to record
the address as a precaution if necessary. This
preliminary information is expected by the
government to provide awareness of the presence of
officials when required in emergency action. The
information contained in this short message clearly
explains the complete address of the nearest
representative office where the residents are located.
The government's presence digitally is represented
from the internet site and the information in it in a
large number of representative offices ranging from
Africa, Europe to America and Australia. With
internet access that has been provided worldwide the
citizens who have been living abroad or newly
arrived workers can take advantage of the site with a
variety of information in it.
In addition to this popular protection policy, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes centralized
information related to issues and issues of overseas
employment. The address of the site can be accessed
at http://perlindungan.kemlu.go.id/portal/home.
In an interview with officials at the Directorate of
Protection of Indonesian Citizens and Indonesian
Legal Entity it was revealed that the site was not only
to inform the latest developments on a number of
problems of Indonesian citizens abroad. Within this
site foreign citizens may also seek information related
to Guidelines for Registration, Guidelines for
Reporting, Guidelines for Conducting Case
Complaints, Guidelines for Conducting Public
Service Submissions and Guidelines for Conducting
Public Service Complaints. This kind of information
is referred to as a pro-active action by the government
to protect Indonesian citizens abroad. However, not
all citizens are able to utilize the site because of the
ability of different individuals and the situation of
working citizens.
With the method of registering through the site for
families and relatives who are troubled then
Asep, Endang and Sumarno / Pro-People Foreign Policy as Indonesia's Response toward
Better Citizen Protection. International Postgraduate Research Conference in Islamic Studies,
Social Science and Multiculturalism. Institut Agama Islam Negeri Manado. Manado 6-8 April 2018.
8
communication can take place almost without pause.
Those who live in Indonesia can monitor with the
identity that has been sent as well as those who have
problems can also find out the progress of the officers
who helped. This registration system is one tool to
take advantage of technological progress in the
implementation of people's diplomacy, protecting
citizens and Indonesian Legal Entity abroad.
Implementation of Pro-People Diplomacy
The implementation of pro-people diplomacy actually
refers to the diplomatic function of representing
(representing) protecting, negotiating, promoting and
reporting. Of these five functions are closely related
to the people is a function of protecting for citizens
who are abroad or who will go abroad. The
government currently places three priorities in its
foreign policy of protecting Indonesian citizens,
economic diplomacy and diplomacy to defend
Indonesian territory.
Economic diplomacy is closely related to the
promotion function of diplomacy. While maintaining
the territory closely related to the diplomacy of
protecting also. Pro-people diplomacy which is a
manifestation of the implementation of people-
oriented foreign policy is done by the government
with various programs.
Of these programs, the implementation that has been
and is being carried out concerns several segments
ranging from cases of Indonesian Migrant Workers
(TKI) in trouble to the repatriation of troubled
Indonesian citizens abroad. This study identifies a
number of cases that make the problems abroad a
focus (Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 2016)
From the latest data released by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, within a period of one year 2015-
2016 which is the second year of Jokowi government
recorded 15,756 cases of Indonesian citizens abroad.
About 86 percent of that number is related to the
problem of Indonesian Migrant Workers abroad. The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that 55 percent of
migrant workers cases are related to domestic
workers such as domestic servant profession, driver,
and gardener. From this case it appears that what is
handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerns
the profession that is classified as a blue collar or
technical workers. This composition can explain
some things about this TKI case.
First, the case of TKI handled by the government at
least within the period of one year 2015-2016 piles
into professions that are categorized into non-skilled
labour. Their position is usually vulnerable in the
country where they work. In addition, the income is
also not too large in the country but they have to
work hard physically.
Secondly, the high number of migrant workers shows
their vulnerability in the middle of other professions
protected by local law. Because of its vulnerable
position it will open up the possibility of violation of
law from users of their expertise.
Thirdly, the problem of illegal migrant workers will
also be high because access to entry into professions
such as domestic helpers or drivers does not require a
certificate of higher education. As a result many
illegal labour migrants are looking for luck and also
encounter many problems.
From a number of interviews on the problems of
Indonesian labour migrants in Malaysia it appears
that the issues of absence of a favourable position for
migrant workers there. Some workers have not paid
their salaries for years on the grounds that their
employers say that these workers are not able to
manage finances.
Sofia, one of the Indonesian migrant workers in
Malaysia, said she had worked for three years and
lived in Johor shelter for 6.5 months. The reason for
living in the Consul General of the Republic of
Indonesia in Johor is the issue of unpaid salaries for
three years. Consulates had tried and get 8000 ringgit
but still there are remaining which has not paid
17.000 ringgit. Similarly, the case of Sriyani who
claimed to have 10 years working and living in the
shelter Consulate General Johor for 6.5 months. The
same case concerns unpaid salaries and violence
when working.
In realizing the protection of Indonesian Citizens
abroad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also
conducted a repatriation program for residents whose
The International Postgraduate Research Conference, Manado
9
residency permits are exhausted. The Foreign
Ministry's note in 2016 states that the repatriation of
Indonesian citizens who are out of visa and who have
no documentation has been declared since December
17, 2014 by President Joko Widodo. This program is
quite large because it will gradually repatriate about
1.8 million Indonesians who have permission to stay
or do not have documents. Every year 50,000 people
are deported mainly from Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and
the Middle East.
The repatriation of nearly two million troubled
Indonesian citizens has prompted the Foreign
Ministry to establish what has been called the Task
Force for the Acceleration of the Return of
Indonesian Citizens in trouble since April 2016. This
task force focuses on the repatriation of troubled
Indonesian citizens from various locations called the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Citizen Service.
The presence of the state in the problem of
Indonesian Citizens abroad is implemented in the
form of handling related to Indonesian citizens who
become victims of trafficking in persons or
trafficking in person. In 2016, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs noted there were 208 cases that could be
handled. However, as many as 66 other cases are still
in the process of handling.
In handling the victims of human trafficking,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that there are three
modes of dispatch of Indonesian Citizens indicated
by a criminal case. First, the citizen as a formal
worker of a particular company but eventually
became a housemaid. These workers are promised
positions as cleaning service officers, sick nurses or
baby sitter. But then they are treated as housemaids.
The second model, sending Indonesian citizens to the
destination country by the mechanism of what is
called a visa calling to the destination country or
umrah visa then at the end become maids. This
method is done with the Middle East region
especially Saudi Arabia.
The third model is the delivery of Indonesian citizens
between countries due to the termination or
moratorium on the sending of migrant workers
especially to the Middle East. If in Indonesia a
moratorium on the sending of migrant workers but in
the Middle East there is a high demand for migrant
workers then some Indonesians spend huge funds to
go to the Middle East. These residents come not
directly to Saudi Arabia but to Bahrain, Kuwait,
United Arab Emirates and Qatar first. This arises
because the moratorium on labour migrants to the
Middle East region is different. Indonesia imposed a
moratorium on Kuwait in 2009, to Saudi Arabia in
2011, against the United Arab Emirates in 2013 while
to Oman and Bahrain in 2015.
The problem of Indonesian citizens abroad is not only
related to work but also faced with a dangerous
position such as hostage taking. Throughout the year
2016 there have been five incidents of hostage taking
involving 25 people who work as ship crew in the
Southern Philippines. Until October 2016 the
Indonesian government has released 23 of the 25
hostages safely.
In addition to hostage-taking in the Philippines, the
Indonesian government can also free the hostage
crew aboard Naham 3 by pirates in Somalia that took
place since 2012. Three people could be released on
October 24, 2016.
Hostage becomes a new challenge in the protection of
the Indonesian government. The hostage case also
shows the increasing complexity of citizen protection
because of the various professions they live like crew
members. The Foreign Ministry handles this case not
alone because it also involves other ministries and
also the police.
Hajj and Umrah and umrah also from the Indonesian
government because it turns out various problems
arise from this activity. In August 2016 there were
arrests and bans of hundreds of Indonesians in the
Philippines. A total of 177 Indonesian pilgrims were
banned because they were found using a Filipino fake
passport. They departed from Ninoy Aquino
International Airport to Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
Indonesia then contacted to the Philippines to release
them. Returning attention to citizens abroad made the
Indonesian government alert despite the mistakes
Asep, Endang and Sumarno / Pro-People Foreign Policy as Indonesia's Response toward
Better Citizen Protection. International Postgraduate Research Conference in Islamic Studies,
Social Science and Multiculturalism. Institut Agama Islam Negeri Manado. Manado 6-8 April 2018.
10
made by a number of people so that 177 people had
Filipino posts when they were Indonesian citizens.
This problem is not completed because it turns out
106 of them who use a Philippine passport has
escaped to Saudi Arabia to perform the pilgrimage.
Again the Indonesian government helps them to be
repatriated gradually which is part of the WNI
protection program.
In another case also in Saudi Arabia, the Indonesian
government faced the problem of the Crane accident
at the Grand Mosque of Mecca on September 11,
2015. A total of 12 people died and 49 were
wounded. The foreign ministry also then tried to
accompany the victim of the accident. Saudi Arabia
pledges individual compensation for the death toll of
one million riyals and 500,000 riyal injuries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also handles other
victims, which are the result of Mina Tragedy in
October 2016 where members of Jemaah Haji
Indonesia meningeal as many as 120 people. They are
the victims of 2,431 who died from jostling in Mina.
Attention to the victim especially in the identification
of the victim and the return of the corpse.
The attention of the Indonesian government to
victims of acts of terrorism as well as those allegedly
involved has not receded in recent years. Protection is
committed against victims of terrorism and their
families as well as how to deal with those involved in
acts of terrorism e.g. joining the Islamic State of Iraq
Syria also called ISIS. Until September 2016 at least
2012 citizens were arrested by the Turkish
government because of allegedly going across to
Syria to join ISIS. The Indonesian government
estimates that 483 Indonesians join ISIS.
A Model Pro People Foreign Policy
Based on this study, the concept of pro-people
foreign policy translated as foreign policy that
prioritizes the interests of the people overseas.
People’s interest ranging from safety to guarantee for
works, education and legal protection. The protection
of citizen has been done by previous government but
the government of Joko Widodo reformulates foreign
policy to be more beneficial for the people.
Foreign policy has been interpreted as the duty of
diplomats in negotiations with other countries.
Foreign policy is carried out in the classical sense as a
venue for negotiations among diplomats who are not
in touch with the needs of the people in general such
as protection in employment.
In constructing this model, it is first considered in
domestic and international system input. Both of
these inputs are the international and domestic
environment that triggers the emergence of a foreign
policy. Of these two factors then the national interest
is translated which then made formulation by the
foreign ministry as the executor of foreign policy. See
figure 1 and figure 2.
Conclusion
The national interest which the government takes on
the position always with the people has encouraged
the formulation and implementation of a pro-people
foreign policy. The concept which state has duty to
protect citizen overseas is manifested in the program
at the government of Joko Widodo. The purpose of
protection of the people is in accordance with the
national interest in maintaining the welfare of the
people inside and outside the country.
From the national priorities, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs set the program into a strategic target that is to
protect Indonesian citizens and legal entities. The
placement of Indonesian Citizen Protection as a
strategic target made direct attention from Foreign
Minister Retno Marsudi. In various statements on
foreign policy it is mentioned repeatedly that pro-
people diplomacy is a manifestation of duty of state
in the protection of citizens
The programme is supported by an adequate structure
under the Directorate General of Protocol and
Consular Affairs. Within this directorate then came
the so-called Director of Protection which then
organizational structure received great attention with
the mobilization of greater human resources.
Because of the concern of the Indonesian
government, this people-based foreign policy then
allocates a larger budget than before. The amount of
The International Postgraduate Research Conference, Manado
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this budget is desired because the program of
protection of citizens is a government priority.
The perceived benefits of this people’s orientation are
evident from some notes and reports of government
involvement in protecting Indonesian citizens in
various areas including in Malaysia which amounts to
two and half millions Indonesians working there.
However, assistance to Indonesian citizens as a
manifestation of protection of Indonesian citizens
abroad also need to be increased because of more
problems from the availability of services from
representative offices. One of the proofs is the
presence of safe house shelters or shelters in
representative offices that solve the problems faced
by Indonesian citizens.
The great challenge for the implementation of this
people-based foreign policy is on the one hand the
need to strengthen human resources in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. On the other hand the need for
awareness of citizens those illegal acts abroad such as
expired or illegal visas will face legal consequences
where the state does not fully guarantee free from
lawsuits. Another challenge is also some of the
victims of violence and terrorism that necessitate a
thorough diplomacy for world peace.
Figure 1 Model Pro-People Foreign Policy.
Asep, Endang and Sumarno / Pro-People Foreign Policy as Indonesia's Response toward
Better Citizen Protection. International Postgraduate Research Conference in Islamic Studies,
Social Science and Multiculturalism. Institut Agama Islam Negeri Manado. Manado 6-8 April 2018.
2
Figure 2 Model Pro-People Foreign Policy.
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