Govt urged to stop sending maids abroad<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Legislators urged the government yesterday to
\nstop exporting maids to Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, a practice
\nwhich has led to widespread physical and sexual abuse.<\/p>\n
In a hearing with Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief, members
\nof the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission VI on labor
\naffairs said the women have no legal protection and that maid
\nexports have tainted Indonesia's image.<\/p>\n
House member Soenardjo from the ruling Golkar party said that
\nsome countries view maids as slaves and treat them accordingly.<\/p>\n
\"Maids live under the same roof with their employers and many
\nof them are subject to physical and sexual harassment,\" said
\nSoenardjo in the meeting led by legislator Erie Soekardja.<\/p>\n
Legislators of the commission recently visited Saudi Arabia to
\nobtain first-hand information about the situation of Indonesian
\nwomen working in Saudi households as maids.<\/p>\n
Commission member Ismu reported that thousands of maids to
\ndate have been raped by their Saudi employers and abandoned once
\nthe employers discover they're pregnant.<\/p>\n
\"It's tragic. The ministry should do something to safeguard
\nthe nation's good name,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Thousands of unskilled Indonesians work in Saudi Arabia and
\nMalaysia and the practice continues in spite of continuous public
\ncriticism. The government plans to phase out the practice of
\nexporting unskilled workers and promises better legal protection
\nfor those who continue to work overseas.<\/p>\n
\"Thousands of Indonesian workers abroad, especially maids,
\nhave been mistreated by their employers and they do not report
\ntheir problems to Indonesian officials there. The government has
\ndone little to help them,\" said legislator Iskandar Manji.<\/p>\n
Iskandar suggested that the government establish a board to
\nsupervise labor exports and to assist Indonesian workers in
\ntrouble overseas.<\/p>\n
Latief said the government had also considered creating such a
\nsupervisory board and said that he would discuss the proposal
\nwith President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
He said that the problems facing Indonesian workers in Saudi
\nArabia and Malaysia need to be resolved through a \"conceptual
\napproach\". He did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
He said, however, that the Indonesian government has
\nestablished a committee to discuss the issue with the Saudi and
\nMalaysian government. (29)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-urged-to-stop-sending-maids-abroad-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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