Govt upset over illegally RI workers overseas<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A senior government official expressed his deep concern over
\nhundreds of thousands of Indonesians working illegally in foreign
\ncountries, thus exposing themselves to trouble.<\/p>\n
Director general for labor placement overseas at the Manpower
\nand Transmigration Ministry, I Gusti Made Arka, said here on
\nTuesday that despite the previous amnesty program launched by the
\nMalaysian government and the ensuing raids, hundreds of thousands
\nof Indonesian workers have continued to work there without proper
\ndocuments.<\/p>\n
"Of around 700,000 illegal immigrants employed in (Malaysia),
\nonly 386,000 returned home under the amnesty program launched in
\nMarch. Some of them have returned (to Malaysia) by using tourist
\nvisas to work in that country.<\/p>\n
"In the meantime, those who did not receive the amnesty and
\nwho escaped the raids remain illegal. They have been underpaid
\nand made to work more than eight hours a day and without any
\nhealthcare or pension benefit scheme," he said.<\/p>\n
He said that Indonesian illegal immigrants employed as
\nhousemaids and in plantations were paid between 5 Malaysian
\nringgit (Rp 20,000) and 7 ringgit a day, which they could
\nactually earn in their home villages.<\/p>\n
Arka acknowledged that the government had a constitutional
\nobligation to provide protection for all citizens, including
\nthose working overseas, but it could not be held responsible for
\nthe "rampant abuse" of Indonesian workers.<\/p>\n
"The government has long campaigned for (workers) to use
\nformal procedures and warned all citizens against working
\noverseas without necessary documents, but many have intentionally
\ntaken the illegal way to avoid levies, labor training and long
\nprocedures," he said.<\/p>\n
He said the abuse of Indonesian workers overseas had a lot to
\ndo with their illegal status and their poor skills.<\/p>\n
"Employers will exploit illegal workers and underpay low-
\nskilled ones," he said.<\/p>\n
Many workers have illegally entered Malaysia with the help of
\ntekong (local brokers), he said, because they have no skills, no
\ncash and no necessary documents to meet all formal requirements
\nto work in that country.<\/p>\n
Arka added that the government was also perplexed by the
\npresence of more than 400,000 illegal immigrants in Saudi Arabia,
\n13,000 in the U.S., 20,000 in South Korea and 8,000 in Japan and
\nthousands of others in other countries such as Syria, Palestine,
\nKuwait and Jordan.<\/p>\n
He said the government had difficulty in preventing the
\nworkers from working illegally because they have used tourist,
\npilgrimage, or student visas in order to enter these countries.<\/p>\n
"Almost 80 percent of the 400,000 illegal immigrants in Saudi
\nArabia entered the country using pilgrimage visas that expire
\nafter three months," Arka said.<\/p>\n
He also said that many people have used religious visas to
\nseek work in South Korea and many others have used study visas to
\nwork in the U.S.<\/p>\n
He said that the government had revoked the licenses of 27
\nmanpower supply companies for violating the law in supplying
\nworkers overseas.<\/p>\n
"At present, four owners of unauthorized labor export
\ncompanies are undergoing police interrogation in relation to
\ntheir involvement in sending undocumented and unskilled workers
\noverseas," he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-upset-over-illegally-ri-workers-overseas-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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