Indonesia is not just a source of domestic workers: - Malaysia and Turkey are considered successful Muslim models of democracy which have realized national unity and development. These two countries are considered at the vanguard of development and have surpassed other Muslim countries without losing the essence of their faith. Several Arab countries have tried to benefit from this experience according to their individual circumstances. However, they have been prevented from doing so because of secularism and obstacles which exist in enacting laws that take into consideration social differences and the creation of equality. Indonesia is another model. With an archipelago of 10,000 islands and a population of 230 million, the largest in the Muslim world, the country has gone through much during the post-independence period. Indonesia was previously ruled by Sukarno, a secularist and socialist. He was subsequently deposed by one of his generals, Suharto, who created a corrupt dictatorship that led to the country’s economic deterioration. The country’s students then launched a revolution and on its ruins a liberal Islamic movement began which countered an extremist movement. This spread moderation and democracy and was considered the basis for a multi-racial, multi-religious and multilingual system, which led to several successful elections. In subsequent years, Indonesia’s drive has been to develop and to get rid of some of the remnants of past corrupt governments, including corruption which has been the source of much tension in the country. Unfortunately, our insufficient knowledge of Indonesia leads us to think that it is the source of uneducated workers, such as housemaids and drivers. The ordinary Indonesian cannot be blamed for this, as he may not know that his country is becoming a major power both economically and politically. Reports from international funds and institutions indicate that Indonesia is growing fast. In spite of poverty and illiteracy, it has benefited from its Asian surroundings, especially Japan, China, Malaysia, Korea and others to achieve growth sometimes reaching 11 percent. Its sophisticated workers are exported to most of these countries in the same way that Turkish workers go to Germany. When Indonesian workers return to their country, they bring added value in the fields of industry and agriculture. They bring with them the culture of developed countries that consider work, production and development to be national goals. Indonesia has achieved all of this while simultaneously safeguarding its national identity and Islamic faith. Its economic gains and democracy have attracted capital from many countries and it has, as a result, joined the G-20. Arabs were exposed to European advancement quite early. However, despite this they have not created a cadre that is suitable for development in the way that other countries, like India, have. Is geography the reason for this? Or does the problem lie in the nature of Arab customs and traditions that have failed to absorb the concept of development? Is Indonesia’s developed Asian surroundings an incentive that has encouraged it to develop? Was it this that encouraged Pakistan, another Muslim country, to realize its own miracle? We need research that can acquaint us with Indonesia’s experience and show us how we can benefit from its industrial, agricultural, educational and health advancements.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 12:31:42 +0000
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