Indonesians in Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
Indonesians in Hong Kong, numbering 102,100, form the second-largest ethnic minority group in the territory, behind Filipinos
. Immigration from Indonesia
to Hong Kong
began as early as the 1960s, when Indonesian Chinese seeking to escape discrimination and anti-Chinese pogroms relocated to Hong Kong
and Taiwan
; most Indonesians
coming to Hong Kong today are pribumi
who arrive under limited-term contracts for employment as foreign domestic helpers
. Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong comprise 2.4% of all overseas Indonesian workers.
In 2006, it was estimated that 102,100 Indonesians worked in Hong Kong, of whom between 80 and 90% are estimated to be women; this represents a growth of almost 250% from the 41,000 recorded six years earlier, while during the same period, the number of domestic helpers from the Philippines declined. Some newspaper reports attributed this to the fact that Filipinas were "harder to manage", and additionally to the better training of Indonesian domestic helpers. Employment agencies in Indonesia sending workers to Hong Kong typically provide at least three to six months of training in household work, including a basic course in Cantonese, whereas similar agencies in the Philippines provide only fourteen days of training. But agencies do not always provide adequate training. They also work together with agencies in Hong Kong to extract higher fees from Indonesians after they start working in Hong Kong. Part of this extra fee is the money that agencies pay to women in Indonesia to start the migration process. Indonesian domestic helpers in Hong Kong are represented by two unions, the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (IMWU) and Coalition of Indonesian Migrant Workers' Organisations (KOTKIHO, Koalisi Organisasi Tenaga Kerja Indonesia Hong Kong).
According to organizations representing migrant workers, police intimidation of migrant workers is also a problem. Underpayment of wages and employer abuse is also a problem; Indonesian workers are widely paid as little as HK$1800 to HK$2000 per month. During the May 1998 riots in Jakarta
, the Hong Kong government threatened to expel Indonesian labourers in Hong Kong in response to the Indonesian government's inaction on crimes committed against ethnic Chinese women; however, in the end, they did not act on this threat.
Indonesians in Hong Kong send remittances
less frequently than Indonesians in Japan
and Singapore, or Filipinos in Hong Kong
; they were also somewhat less likely than Filipinos to use a bank to send such remittances, instead relying on friends or other informal networks such as hawala
. Contrary to the trend in Latin America, where remittances from relatives working in the United States are often used to meet daily expenses or for other consumption, in one 2005 survey, more than half of Indonesian workers in Hong Kong reported that their families used their remittances to start businesses, each creating between one and five jobs.
, of Indonesians formed an estimated 120,000.
Within their communities, the services provided to the Indonesian Muslims or other Muslims are mainly by NGOs. Most of the relevant NGOs will have courses to teach Arabic and the Quran. So the children or other people who are newly Muslim can learn the religion practices and languages they need. There are seven Islamic schools in Hong Kong. The Islamic NGOs mainly runs them, for example the Chinese Muslim Cultural and Fraternal Association. Some of them will have membership schemes and provide services like library, retails, etc. Some of the people will also gather in the Mosques during religious celebrations. They seem to be proactive in interacting with the local communities, it is because their social value and moral standards are different from Hong Kong mainstream ideology.
Filipinos in Hong Kong
There are around 140,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong, a lot of whom work as foreign domestic helpers. Filipino maids are known by the locals as fei yung , fei being the first character in the Cantonese phonetic translation of Philippines and yung means maid...
. Immigration from Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
began as early as the 1960s, when Indonesian Chinese seeking to escape discrimination and anti-Chinese pogroms relocated to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
; most Indonesians
Demographics of Indonesia
The population of Indonesia according to the 2010 national census is 237.6 million, with 58% living on the island of Java, the world's most populous island....
coming to Hong Kong today are pribumi
Pribumi
Native Indonesians are also known as Pribumi, literally meaning "sons of the soil", is a term that refers to a population group in Indonesia that shares a similar sociocultural heritage...
who arrive under limited-term contracts for employment as foreign domestic helpers
Foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong
Foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong are foreign domestic workers and housemaids employed by Hongkongers, typically families. They make up approximately 3% of the population of Hong Kong and an overwhelming majority of them are women...
. Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong comprise 2.4% of all overseas Indonesian workers.
Employment
According to organizations representing migrant workers, police intimidation of migrant workers is also a problem. Underpayment of wages and employer abuse is also a problem; Indonesian workers are widely paid as little as HK$1800 to HK$2000 per month. During the May 1998 riots in Jakarta
Jakarta Riots of May 1998
The May 1998 Riots of Indonesia were incidents of mass violence that occurred throughout Indonesia, mainly in Medan in the province of North Sumatra , the capital city of Jakarta , and Surakarta in the province of Central Java...
, the Hong Kong government threatened to expel Indonesian labourers in Hong Kong in response to the Indonesian government's inaction on crimes committed against ethnic Chinese women; however, in the end, they did not act on this threat.
Remittances and savings
Remittances
A remittance is a transfer of money by a foreign worker to his or her home country. Note that in 19th century usage a remittance man was someone exiled overseas and sent an allowance on condition that he not return home....
less frequently than Indonesians in Japan
Indonesians in Japan
form Japan's largest immigrant group from a Muslim-majority country. , Japanese government figures recorded 25,620 legal residents of Indonesian nationality and estimated further 4,947 more were residing in the country illegally.-Demography and distribution:...
and Singapore, or Filipinos in Hong Kong
Filipinos in Hong Kong
There are around 140,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong, a lot of whom work as foreign domestic helpers. Filipino maids are known by the locals as fei yung , fei being the first character in the Cantonese phonetic translation of Philippines and yung means maid...
; they were also somewhat less likely than Filipinos to use a bank to send such remittances, instead relying on friends or other informal networks such as hawala
Hawala
Hawala is an informal value transfer system based on the performance and honor of a huge network of money brokers, which are primarily located in the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and South Asia...
. Contrary to the trend in Latin America, where remittances from relatives working in the United States are often used to meet daily expenses or for other consumption, in one 2005 survey, more than half of Indonesian workers in Hong Kong reported that their families used their remittances to start businesses, each creating between one and five jobs.
Religion
In 2009, there were 220,000 Muslims in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, of Indonesians formed an estimated 120,000.
Within their communities, the services provided to the Indonesian Muslims or other Muslims are mainly by NGOs. Most of the relevant NGOs will have courses to teach Arabic and the Quran. So the children or other people who are newly Muslim can learn the religion practices and languages they need. There are seven Islamic schools in Hong Kong. The Islamic NGOs mainly runs them, for example the Chinese Muslim Cultural and Fraternal Association. Some of them will have membership schemes and provide services like library, retails, etc. Some of the people will also gather in the Mosques during religious celebrations. They seem to be proactive in interacting with the local communities, it is because their social value and moral standards are different from Hong Kong mainstream ideology.