Jakarta. Future governors must establish a clear urban agenda, including measures to limit the influx of unskilled and uneducated migrants, if they aim to transform Jakarta into a global city, an expert said on Wednesday.

Although Jakarta will soon lose its status as the national capital, it remains a magnet for job seekers, particularly those from rural areas where employment opportunities are limited and agriculture no longer provides sufficient income, said Ujang Komarudin of Al Azhar University in Jakarta.

However, most of these migrants lack the skills and educational background required for jobs in a major city like Jakarta, Ujang noted.

“Many people come to Jakarta to earn a living, but many of them are unskilled,” Ujang said.

“Jakarta becomes the destination when their hometowns or villages can’t create new jobs, and farming is difficult due to shortages of fertilizer or water,” he added.

Many unskilled migrants end up as street vendors, performers, garbage collectors, or, in the worst cases, homeless, according to Ujang.

The three candidates competing in the November 27 Jakarta gubernatorial election must incorporate free courses and training programs for unskilled migrants into their platforms. Each has pledged to turn Jakarta into a global city during their campaigns, he pointed out.

“We can’t stop people from migrating to Jakarta, but migrants need the skills and education to secure decent jobs. This is something all the candidates must address,” Ujang said.

A city official said earlier that Jakarta’s robust welfare system, regarded as the most generous in the country, is another major factor attracting migrants.

The provincial government offers a wide range of financial subsidies for low-income families, covering healthcare, education, transportation, food, and utilities.

Each year, the city spends around $1 billion on these subsidies, and many new residents take advantage of the system, becoming reliant on the city's welfare programs.

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