Just Run Away, From Rice to Frustration

The hashtag kaburajadulu has captured attention over the past month. In the public discourse of the nation, this phenomenon resembles a pendulum, swinging from purely economic perspectives—such as seeking employment and the loss of skilled workers—to another side, which involves feelings of frustration and criticism of government policies.

A similar phenomenon also emerged late last year in the United States, especially when Donald Trump was ahead in the November 2024 US presidential election. Google noted a sudden spike in searches for the words “move to Canada,” “move to Australia,” and “move to New Zealand.” At that time, the New Zealand Immigration Website also noted around 25,000 new users from the US (Kompas.id, November 8, 2024).

In the article titled "Trump Wins, Interest in Moving Abroad Soars" also quoted the results of an Edison Research poll which stated that a number of people wanted to leave the US because they felt that US democracy was under threat. Not a few were worried that in Trump's second era, there would be a greater division between the Democratic and Republican Parties on issues such as race, gender, children's education and learning, and reproductive rights.

However, aside from the fact that it is not easy to move and settle abroad, the phenomenon is actually not new. In the US itself, a similar phenomenon occurred during the Vietnam War campaign.

Back to #Kaburajadulu in Indonesia, this phenomenon also "swings" from socio-economic issues to politics. Contacted on Saturday (22/2/2025), Sociologist from the State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta, Tantan Hermansah said, there are two interesting things that can be seen from the viral phenomenon of the hashtag. First, the hashtag is a bubble of public distrust of the government's capacity to meet the daily lives of citizens.

"The phenomenon of people going and working abroad is not a new phenomenon, it has long existed through independent channels, organizations, and government-facilitated agencies. However, the hashtag shows that the government's attention to those working at home and abroad has never been serious," said Tantan.

Next, according to Tantan, the hashtag went viral because Kaburajadulu became a critical expression of citizens towards the system. People saw too many games and capital that had to be spent in seeking a living, but the results obtained were often not commensurate.

"So, in a larger context, the hashtag should not be understood blindly. The government should accept the call as criticism," said Tantan. "They are not the majority voice, but the government needs to realize that there are groups who consciously carry out deep criticism and really understand what is happening, some even feel that what is happening is threatening their lives and future," said Tantan.

Contacted separately, Member of the House of Representatives Commission 1 of the Golkar Party Faction and the House of Representatives Legislation Body Abraham Sridjaja said that the #kaburajadulu phenomenon needs to be viewed more broadly. He disagrees if those who take that stance are then labeled as not nationalist.

According to him, the involvement of the diaspora and Indonesian workers abroad also contributed greatly to the national economic performance. "So if someone says that people who work abroad are not nationalists, they do not understand that people who work abroad are also nationalists. They even do not want to give up their citizenship," Abraham said last Thursday in Jakarta.

Abraham thinks that working abroad or moving abroad is not taboo or bad. Because in reality, working or investing abroad is more comfortable. Because abroad there may not be a quota of thugs or complicated bureaucracy.

However, for those who decide to “fight abroad,” Abraham said, they need to be prepared for differences in culture and local work characteristics. In China, for example, a worker must have a high work ethic and be agile. “In China, people also don’t complain much about working hours or healing. Because Chinese workers know they can be replaced if they complain,” he said.

On the other hand, the phenomenon of working abroad also needs to be addressed carefully. Because, young people who are dazzled by the phenomenon without understanding or having adequate skills are vulnerable to becoming victims of human trafficking (TPPO) as happened in Malaysia, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

Several cases currently being handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs show that many Indonesian citizens have become victims of TPPO. This is an excess or dark side of #kaburajadulu. Most of the victims were tempted by the promise of being employed in marketing companies. However, due to ignorance, they ended up being employed in online gambling centers with dire conditions. They also could not get out of there because their passports were confiscated.

Last Thursday, 46 Indonesian citizens were repatriated from Myanmar. According to the Director of Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Judha Nugraha, they were victims of human trafficking, and some were even suspected of being part of a human trafficking syndicate.

Judha explained that some of them were offered work in Thailand. However, upon arrival in Bangkok, they were picked up and then taken across to Myanmar via the city of Mae Sot, western Thailand. They were then employed as part of an online scam syndicate.

According to Judha, of the number of Indonesian citizens who were repatriated, there were residents who had worked in offshore gambling companies (POGO) in the Philippines. After POGO operations in the Philippines were stopped by authorities, they moved to Laos, Cambodia, or Myanmar (Kompas.id, February 21, 2025).

Responding to this recurring problem, Judha appealed to Indonesian citizens not to be easily tempted by job vacancies abroad, especially if they are not equipped with a work visa and official work contract.

On the other hand, Abraham believes that Indonesian citizens also need to broaden their perspectives, including looking at opportunities within the country, as well as the potential abroad. Many areas outside Java, according to Abraham, offer job potential. He encourages young people to become entrepreneurs and create opportunities from various untapped potentials in Indonesia.

However, he also considered that answering the potential for work abroad is also a good step. The Indonesian diaspora, according to Abraham, also plays a role in making Indonesia's name famous in the international arena, besides of course foreign exchange.

Therefore, Abraham is not worried that #kaburajadulu will make Indonesia lose many experts. "For me, it is not too much of a problem. It is not that easy for experts in Indonesia to suddenly be recruited by foreign parties. So #kaburajadulu will not cause a brain drain in the country, that is too far," he said.

However, according to Abraham, Indonesia also needs to improve to ensure the comfort and security of working and investing in the country. Criticism of this situation needs serious attention.

(AP/Reuters)