DENPASAR ~ According to data from the Employment Department of Badung regency, the total number of foreign workers in Badung rose by 20.12 percent from March 2007 to March 2008.

“The increase is a result of the demand in global world competition. Companies have added foreign laborers to increase their international image. However, local labor also has its place in the growing market,” Putra, head of the Badung Employment Department, said.

According to the data, 409 foreigners worked in the tourism sector, including hotels and restaurants: 85 were from Japan, 64 were from England, 61 were Dutch, 58 were American, 50 were German and the remainder came from other countries.

Putu Marhaendra, head of the Regional Representative Labor Union Board in Badung, said however that although Indonesian workers tended to be more creative than foreigners, certain factors made competition unhealthy between foreign and local laborers.

He said that he hoped the government would control the increase of foreign labor and enforce Regulation No. 13, 2003 regarding employment.