Why Indonesia...?

[Pak Tani]

It is also reasonable to ask why he does not direct any criticism toward his biological parents...

He was born out of wedlock to a mother who didn't have the money to raise him. She gave him up for adoption and agreed that the Dutch man who adopted him was put on mr Indra's birth certificate, despited them having no relationship.

This must have been deeply hurtful for his surrogate parent who raised him up.

Exactly!

 

[Banana72]

I'll jump in!!
Nothing too dramatic...actually it's very typical copy-paste story of many (ex)Indonesians. Living overseas, minding my own business...putting in my hours with corporate America then do the American thing of grillin' and beer with friends on weekends. After a while things become too...mundane. Families, relatives, friends, etc giving me the overly sugarcoated story of Indonesia I could get Diabetes from....why not try it? and everything can be easily taken care of.....families sold me stories of being successful in Jakarta's economy, cousins promised of constant 'introduction' to lovely Indonesian ladies (after all 'you are not getting younger' as they affectionately said and of course with the best intention..).

Me, young(er) and impressionable finally made the jump....and surprise...the real thing is far from the stories. The "if you're here, we can hang out at least every week' to the reality of maybe twice a year (during some kind of birthday party or when somebody dies)...and same with my experience in the US....I've gone through phases of 'I hate indonesia- every day' to 'you know i can somewhat tolerate it with wine and beer' to the most recent: If you don't deal with the government, accept the inefficiencies and constant miscommunication, workforce and only hand select very few people to be close with...Jakarta is more than just being 'tolerable'...in some ways even enjoyable! It has successfully rubbed off on me after all these years! I still miss the US absolutely except for the long 23 hours flight and 4 days jet lag!

Leaving some of the more personal and gory details, but in short....I'm still here!

 

[pantaiema]

This the other side of the story. I personally have seen some of the source of original videos reported in this journalist report which is actually summarising what have been published previously. The summary in this video will save time to search the individual source one by one. Also tempodotco is the official social media and digital handle for Tempo Media Group, one of Indonesia’s most reputable, independent, and historically respected news organisations in Indonesia.


It is presented in Indonesian. But if you are using the cc feature on YT and do auto translate, you will get the subtitle played in English . But This is the summary

Key Drivers for Renouncing Citizenship

• Lack of Job Opportunities & Wage Gaps: A report by the OECD indicates that a lack of employment opportunities and poor career development prospects drive skilled Indonesians to look for better lives abroad,. As of February 2026, Indonesia still recorded around 7.24 million unemployed citizens.
• High Cost of Education: One former citizen (Meita) shared that she relocated to Canada primarily for her children's education. In Canada, education is completely free from kindergarten to high school, and students are encouraged to be independent using government-backed student loans for university.
• Disappointment with the System & Corruption: There is a growing sense of frustration regarding government policies, which some feel do not adequately support the struggling middle and lower classes. Another former citizen recounted her corporate experience in Indonesia, where she routinely witnessed blatant corruption, particularly involving state-owned enterprises (BUMN).
• Quality of Life: The work culture abroad is praised for being more humane. Former citizens noted that they enjoy strictly respected office hours, proper sick leave benefits, and significantly lower stress levels compared to the relentless, target-driven work culture they faced in Indonesia,.

2. Statistics and Top Destinations
Over the past five years, approximately 8,000 Indonesians have applied to renounce their citizenship. According to the OECD, about 6 out of 10 Indonesian emigrants eventually trade their green Garuda passports for the passport of their host country. Popular destinations include the Netherlands (chosen by over 90%), Canada, Germany, Singapore, Australia, and the United States,. Data from 2015 also revealed that 46% of Indonesian emigrants living in OECD countries belong to the highly educated demographic.

3. Possible Impact on Indonesia
This mass migration results in a massive loss for Indonesia, as the country loses its investments in education, productivity, innovation, and potential future leaders. Sociologically, public perception toward changing citizenship has shifted. While it used to be stigmatised as a lack of nationalism or a form of social deviance, society now increasingly views the choice with understanding or even appreciation.

4. Conclusion
The video concludes that when thousands of people make the exact same decision, it is no longer just a personal choice, it is a mirror reflecting how citizens view their future in the country. The crucial question for the government moving forward should not be why they are leaving, but rather what needs to be fixed at home to make the nation a place where its best talents want to stay and thrive.

 

[Jaime C]

I was discussing with my teenager, what passport she would prefer once she has to choose. She looked at me like I was crazy. This look is fairly common in my household, so I thought I’d clarify the reasons.

She goes to a mid level private school. Maybe 10% are Wasian, another 15% are Indo and another Asian country. China, Korea, Taiwan or similar.

She says none of her classmates want to live and work full time in Indonesia, once they are adults. The ability to earn is severely limited in Indonesia. Siblings of her friends go to University in Canada, Australia or similar. My daughter seems to want to go to the US for university.

I guess I’m pretty content to stay in Indonesia. The benefits far outweigh the negatives for me. Especially as I’m moderately disabled, getting old, and the care and vacation options are much better, and affordable compared to the US.

Just the thought of flying 24+ hours back to the US gives me a lot mental anguish. At least my wife can fly back once a year to work on business stuff.