The Brain Drain Effect of #KaburAjaDulu

The hashtag #KaburAjaDulu has been trending on X’s timeline for the past week. It is believed that this trend emerged as a form of disappointment from several Indonesian citizens (WNI) toward government policies that are perceived as neglecting the people's welfare.

The founder of Drone Emprit, Ismail Fahmi, mentioned on his X account that the #KaburAjaDulu trend first appeared in September 2023. Initially, this trend grew among tech bros, a term for programmers, who were facing tech winter in Indonesia, a phenomenon describing the collapse of startups.

The trend resurfaced on January 14, 2025. The first account to popularize the trend was @hrdbacot. The hashtag #KaburAjaDulu was also tweeted by several influencers on X, including @berlianidris, @IndoWorkAbroad, and @rohalus__.

“Are we seriously going to #KaburAjaDulu to Vietnam? That means, in terms of national development, we’ve been left behind so badly. We’ve already been overtaken by Malaysia, Singapore, and now Vietnam. Politically speaking, what exactly is our goal? It’s like there’s no clear roadmap for Golden Indonesia 2045,” tweeted the account @hrdbacot, as quoted on Tuesday (19/2/2025)

Indonesian academic and diaspora member in South Korea, Ardianto Satriawan, stated that the #KaburAjaDulu trend is a natural phenomenon. “People will always seek a better livelihood,” said Ardianto in a virtual interview on Wednesday (18/2/2025).

Ardianto, who works as a researcher at Inha University, South Korea, believed that the decision to pursue a career abroad is driven by three main factors: economy, political stability, and public facilities.

“For example, in Indonesia, with my skills, I would need to work significantly longer hours to earn the same income. Here (in South Korea), I work fewer hours but earn more,” explained the Kudus, Central Java native.

With a salary in South Korea of around 2 million won, equivalent to 22 million rupiah, he said he could still afford to rent a house for 500,000 won. As for education, Ardianto mentioned that his child could attend kindergarten for free. “It’s funded by the South Korean government. The school is equivalent to a premium kindergarten in Jakarta,” he added.

Even though the #KaburAjaDulu hashtag will eventually fade, Ardianto said its main goal is to create collective awareness among Indonesians to start a better life abroad.

According to him, raising public awareness is the first step in initiating change, followed by agitation to push policy makers toward reform. “The third step is organizing. This is what our friends at ‘DarkIndonesia’ are currently doing,” he said.

Historically, the Chinese diaspora has spread across the world, driven by unfavorable political and economic conditions in China at the time.

How did the Chinese government respond? They launched major economic reforms in 1978 under Deng Xiaoping’s leadership. As a result, China’s economy soared, lifting 800 million people out of poverty by 2024.

In Indonesia, certain groups have also chosen to move abroad. The country’s third president, B.J. Habibie, did so when he began his career as an aviation technocrat in Germany, as Indonesia’s aerospace industry had yet to develop.

Another example is Warsito Purwo Taruno, the inventor of Electro-Capacitive Cancer Therapy (ECCT). He decided to pursue his research overseas rather than in Indonesia.

According to Media Indonesia (April 1, 2017), ECCT received little recognition from the Indonesian government, while several European nations expressed appreciation for it. No wonder Warsito chose to develop his innovation abroad.

The lecturer of Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) and a graduate of the University of Newcastle, Australia, Fajar Suryawan, S.T., M.Eng.Sc., Ph.D., acknowledged why some Indonesians choose to pursue careers abroad. He pointed out that countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and the UK strongly support career advancement through fair wages and non-material benefits

“In Indonesia, expenses such as children's education, buying a house, or even basic household needs can be difficult and expensive for some people,” Fajar explained on Thursday (21/2/2025).

Industrial psychology expert from Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), Nisrina Hanun Iftadi, S.Psi., M.Psi., Psikolog., saw that the Kabur Aja Dulu trend stems from Indonesia’s lack of support systems to ensure citizens' well-being.

Hanun believed that the Indonesian government does not adequately support its people’s creativity and talents. This is evident from the lack of moral and financial backing provided by the government.

Another issue is the absence of recognition for Indonesians who excel in their fields. Recognition and appreciation help sustain motivation and encourage individuals to continue making valuable contributions, particularly in their careers.

“When people do not receive rewards in Indonesia but are recognized abroad, their instincts will naturally push them to move overseas, where their efforts are appreciated,” Hanun explained on Thursday (20/2/2025).

If the Kabur Aja Dulu trend continues, it could lead to a brain drain crisis, posing a significant threat to future generations in Indonesia.

Brain drain refers to the mass exodus of scientists, intellectuals, and technocrats from their home country. Hanun warned that this phenomenon signals the beginning of a crisis, where Indonesia risks losing its most competent minds.

Indonesia urgently needs competent individuals across various fields. A simple yet crucial example is the presence of skilled teachers in the education sector. Teachers play a vital role in shaping a competent generation that will lead Indonesia into the future.

“Regardless of the field, we need competent individuals. If there are no qualified teachers, then who will educate future generations to be skilled and capable?” said the UMS Psychology lecturer.

The absence of skilled professionals in the workforce could impact the economy and even the nation's stability. Experts are particularly needed in critical sectors like infrastructure and technology.

Brain drain hinders efforts to build a competent generation. The gradual loss of skilled individuals disrupts knowledge transfer and weakens the country's ability to cultivate high-quality talent for the future.

The government must make extraordinary efforts to develop future generations, while also working to restore public trust, especially among experts and scholars who have already left Indonesia.

“Even if the government eventually succeeds in producing competent individuals, they will likely follow in the footsteps of those who left before them,” Hanun added.

The issue of brain drain is the government's responsibility. One of the most effective solutions is education. The government must implement policies that ensure the next generation’s competence continues to improve.

Improving public welfare should be a top priority, including, expanding job opportunities, enhancing worker skills, ensuring fair wages, providing subsidies for education, healthcare, and food

The state must also enact policies that benefit not only businesses but also workers. Protecting workers' rights is non-negotiable for achieving collective prosperity. “If no policies are in place, then business owners will naturally take advantage of workers,” Hanun warned.

However, creating collective awareness is a shared responsibility. The public must pressure the government to implement policies that empower and uplift skilled individuals.

“Change will never happen if no one speaks up, raises awareness, or demands better welfare for society,” Hanun concluded.

Writer: Gede Arga Adrian

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid

Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva