Jamsostek eyes 1.5 million RI workers overseas<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After securing the membership of 17,000 expatriates working in
\nIndonesia, state-owned social security company Jamsostek, has
\ntargeted more than 1.5 million Indonesians employed overseas.<\/p>\n
Jamsostek's president Achmad Djunaidi told The Jakarta Post
\nhere on Thursday that his side was still discussing with the
\nMinistry of Manpower and Transmigration the participation of
\nIndonesian workers overseas in its social security programs.<\/p>\n
\"Both sides have principally agreed that migrant workers
\nshould be members of Jamsostek's social security programs for
\ntheir own protection while overseas, as well as to financially
\nstrengthen Jamsostek,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added that Manpower and Transmigration Minister Jacob Nuwa
\nWea, was expected to issue a ministerial decree to revive the
\n1995 decree on the participation of Indonesian workers overseas
\nin social security programs.<\/p>\n
The 1995 ministerial decree was lifted in 1999 for the main
\nreason that Indonesian workers employed overseas were protected
\nunder a commercial insurance scheme.<\/p>\n
The minister recently issued Ministerial Decree No. 67\/2004 in
\nApril to bring back the 1995 decree requiring all expatriates
\nworking in Indonesia to enroll in social security programs. The
\ndecree was lifted in 1999, as most of the expatriates were
\nalready registered with similar -- and perceivably better --
\nsocial security programs in their home countries.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea said recently that enrolling in a social security
\nprogram was obligatory for Indonesian workers employed at home
\nand overseas, and expatriates working in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The compulsory participation is aimed at ensuring social
\nsecurity programs are cooperative and cross-subsidizing. The more
\nworkers that participate in the programs, the stronger the
\ncompany's assets will be, and the more benefits the workers will
\nreceive,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Employers and labor unions have opposed Jamsostek's status as
\na state-owned company, saying the government should contribute to
\nthe social security programs as a main stakeholder to show its
\nresponsibility to workers' protection.<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives is still reviewing the 1992
\nsocial security law to change the social security programs into a
\ntrust fund that would be managed by an independent agency
\ndirectly under the President.<\/p>\n
Djunaidi explained that Jamsostek would fully protect
\nIndonesian workers overseas, particularly those in abusive
\nsituations.<\/p>\n
\"Jamsostek would compensate workers who were not paid, abused
\nby their employers or injured in a workplace accident. It wwill
\nalso offer life insurance,\" he said, adding that Jamsostek would
\nreopen its branches in the Middle East and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, labor exporters expressed appreciation of the
\ngovernment's plan to enroll Indonesian workers overseas in social
\nsecurity programs, saying it would provide them with better
\nprotection.<\/p>\n
\"As long as the workers have no objection to participating in
\nsocial security programs, labor exporters will support it,
\nalthough they would have to pay for it,\" said Husein Alaydrus,
\nchairman of the Indonesian Labor Exporters Association (Apjati).<\/p>\n
Around 1.5 million Indonesians are working overseas. The
\nmajority are employed as domestic helpers in the Middle East,
\nHong Kong and Malaysia, contributing around US$1 billion annually
\nto Indonesia in foreign exchange earnings.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jamsostek-eyes-15-million-ri-workers-overseas-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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