Govt not committed to workers: Minister<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea admitted
\non Wednesday that violence against Indonesian workers overseas
\nwas a result of the government's lack of political will to deal
\nseriously with labor exports.<\/p>\n
"One of the obstacles to making labor exports a success is the
\nabsence of commitment from relevant authorities," the minister
\ntold a hearing with House of Representatives Commission VII for
\nlabor and religious affairs.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea was bombarded with criticism and questions about the
\nrecent abuse against Indonesian housemaid Nirmala Bonat in Kuala
\nLumpur during the session.<\/p>\n
The minister said his ministry was not the only department to
\nblame for glitches in exporting labor.<\/p>\n
"Before departing for abroad, workers have to obtain documents
\nfrom the local administration where they live, the immigration
\noffice, the foreign ministry, the manpower ministry, labor export
\ncompanies and security authorities," he said.<\/p>\n
The minister said many workers developed problems in their
\nworkplace because they worked illegally and without vital
\npreparation, such as job and language training and clear-cut
\nlabor contracts.<\/p>\n
"We do appreciate the Malaysian government's good and quick
\nresponse to the (latest instance of) labor abuse, which is a good
\nexample for other countries employing Indonesian workers," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi officially apologized
\nfor the abuse and said stern action would be taken against
\nNirmala's employer. He also and offered comprehensive medical and
\npsychiatric treatment for the East Nusa Tenggara resident.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea insisted that the government could not prevent
\nviolence against Indonesian workers at the hands of foreign
\nemployers but had enhanced cooperation and signed bilateral
\nagreements with several countries to minimize abuse.<\/p>\n
"To provide protection for workers, the government is
\nappointing several more labor attaches in Kuwait, Hong Kong,
\nSouth Korea. It is also proposing bilateral agreements with the
\ncountries," he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has so far placed labor attaches in Kuala Lumpur and
\nthe Saudi Arabian cities of Riyadh and Jeddah. It signed
\nbilateral labor agreements with Jordan in 1996, Kuwait in 1996
\nand Malaysia in 2004.<\/p>\n
The minister also urged the President to submit the bill on
\nlabor protection to the House, saying the nation was in urgent
\nneed of legislation that enabled it to take action against labor
\nexporters that failed to protect the workers they recruited and
\nsent abroad.<\/p>\n
There are more than 1.5 million documented Indonesians migrant
\nworkers employed in various countries, 75 percent of them in the
\ninformal sector. Indonesia has gained US$5.49 billion in foreign
\nexchange from the workers over the last three years.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-not-committed-to-workers-minister-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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