Export skilled workers, minister says<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris has called on
\nlabor exporters to follow in the footsteps of the Binawan Group,
\nwhich has begun exporting trained professionals.<\/p>\n
\"Binawan Group -- running an international-standard institute
\nto produce health care professionals -- has set a good example,
\nwhich should be followed by other labor export companies, in an
\nendeavor to improve the bargaining power of workers employed
\noverseas, increase the government's foreign exchange from labor
\nexport and help establish the country's good image abroad,\" he
\nsaid over the weekend at a farewell party for more than 200
\nhealth care professionals workers here.<\/p>\n
The paramedics, who graduated from the Binawan Institute of
\nHealth Sciences (Stikes Binawan) in Jakarta, left for Sydney on
\nSaturday to complete their studies and work in Australian
\nhospitals for two years. They will also take courses at the
\nUniversity of Technology Sydney (UTS), to gain bachelors of
\nnursing and be registered as nurses in Australia.<\/p>\n
According to the labor contract with the Australian hospitals,
\nthe workers will be paid A$2,700 per month (Rp16 million).<\/p>\n
Fahmi said the time has come for Indonesia to alter its labor
\nexport policy by gradually stopping to send unskilled workers,
\nparticularly housemaids, and, instead, beginning to supply
\nprofessionals, to help improve the workers' bargaining power and
\navoid labor abuses overseas.<\/p>\n
\"The rampant abuse of Indonesian workers overseas has a lot to
\ndo with their poor knowledge and low skills -- two factors that
\nhave apparently caused their employers to underpay them and abuse
\nthem.<\/p>\n
\"Skilled workers know what their rights are and posses an
\nability to protect themselves in their workplace, as well as
\nbeing paid in accordance with international standards,\" he said,
\nadding that the government's remittance from labor export would
\ndouble if workers were better qualified.<\/p>\n
The minister said the presence of around 400,000 illegal
\nimmigrants in Malaysia and more than 50,000 in the Middle East
\nwas related to their lack of skills.<\/p>\n
About 72 percent of Indonesian migrant workers are women. Over
\n90 percent of these women are employed as domestic workers in
\ncountries like Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South
\nKorea and the Middle East. The two main destinations are Malaysia
\n(40 percent) and Saudi Arabia (37 percent). Of these countries,
\nonly Hong Kong provides a legal framework for the protection of
\ndomestic workers' rights, such as working hours, standardized
\nwages, leave and other conditions of employment.<\/p>\n
The government remittance from migrant workers is estimated to
\nreach between US$1.1 billion to $2.2 billion per year, making the
\nlabor export sector the second largest contributor to the
\ncountry's foreign exchange revenue after oil and gas.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the institute's rector Prof. Azrul Azwar said the
\ninstitute is cooperating with the UTS to produce health care
\nprofessionals who are employable overseas, through an
\ninternational-standard curriculum.<\/p>\n
\"A number of developed countries, such as Britain, Norway, the
\nUnited States, Canada, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and
\nMiddle East countries have requested health care professionals
\nfrom the institute,\" he said, citing that the institute's
\ncurriculum applies British and American standards.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/export-skilled-workers-minister-says-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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