Banks to help Indonesians work obroad<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Frustrated by complicated problems in labor export, Minister of
\nManpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea has sought the support
\nof several private and state-owned banks to provide credit
\nschemes for Indonesians working overseas.<\/p>\n
\"The bank credit, ranging from Rp 10 million (US$1,149) to Rp
\n30 million, would cover recruitment and training fees, necessary
\ndocuments and plane tickets. Workers would enjoy a very low
\ninterest rate, and the repayment of their credit would not
\noverburden them and their families,\" Nuwa Wea told The Jakarta
\nPost at his office here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea said, that with the implementation of the bank credit
\nscheme, workers would no longer depend on usurers in rural areas
\nwho had obtained excessive interest, nor on certain labor
\nexporters covering workers' recruitment and training fees.<\/p>\n
He declined to identify the banks because they were still
\ndiscussing common requirements for the credit scheme, but said
\nthe credit scheme was expected to be of mutual benefit, both to
\nthe workers and the banks.<\/p>\n
\"Under the present practice, most workers do not enjoy their
\nfirst year of working overseas as a big part of their monthly
\nsalary is cut to pay their debts to labor exporters and usurers,\"
\nthe minister said.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that labor exporters had partially been
\nresponsible for violence against Indonesian workers employed
\nabroad as they had treated the workers like commodities.<\/p>\n
\"Workers have been charged recruitment and training fees but,
\nin fact, they have often been subjected to inhumane treatment and
\nare not trained adequately before they are employed. Many labor
\nexporters have even manipulated the documents of workers who go
\nhome, or die, so that new workers can avoid the obligatory
\ntraining, which only lands them in trouble with their employers,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The minister also defended his recent unprecedented measure to
\nsuspend the operation of 25 labor-supplying companies that were
\nfound unprofessional, despite the strong protest of their
\nassociation.<\/p>\n
\"We are even considering suspending the operation of more than
\n40 other labor-supplying companies for their frequent violation
\nof Ministerial Decree No. 104\/2002 on labor-export procedure,\" he
\nsaid. He added that most of the 25 companies had no training
\ncenter and, thus, sent untrained workers abroad.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea said, that if the labor exporters objected to the
\nimposed punishment, they could file a complaint with the police,
\ntake the matter to the State Administrative Court or sue him.<\/p>\n
Many labor exporters and their associations have protested the
\nminister's action, saying relevant officials of the Manpower and
\nTransmigration Ministry had refused to clarify the alleged
\nviolations.<\/p>\n
Asked about the draft law on workers' protection overseas, the
\nminister said the bill was \"still on President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's table at the State Palace\".<\/p>\n
\"We are still waiting for her (Megawati's) approval to submit
\nit to the House of Representatives for deliberation,\" he said,
\nadding that he was optimistic that the bill would be enacted
\nbefore Megawati's tenure ends in October.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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