Latief blasted over policy on workers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief came under
\nfire yesterday during a hearing with the House of Representatives
\nfor some of his restrictive policies governing the Indonesian
\nmanpower supply trade.<\/p>\n
The House's Commission VI, which deals with manpower affairs,
\nquestioned Latief's decision to establish PT Bijak, a company
\nunder his charge, which was supposed to bring some order into the
\nlucrative but often troublesome business.<\/p>\n
They also attacked the minister's decrees, issued in February,
\nwhich compelled manpower supply companies to raise their paid up
\ncapital and deposit a huge sum at a state bank as a bond to bail
\nout workers who might be stranded overseas.<\/p>\n
The legislators, echoing the complaints of many manpower
\nsupply companies, said the establishment of PT Bijak and the
\ntight capital ruling threaten the existence of the smaller
\nsuppliers.<\/p>\n
Latief responded that PT Bijak, which is incorporated as a
\nsubsidiary of the government workers' insurance company PT Astek,
\nwas intended to modernize the business of sending workers
\noverseas.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that there are currently 320 manpower supply
\ncompanies registered with his ministry but only half of them were
\nactive while the rest have been struggling because of poor
\nmanagement and lack of capital.<\/p>\n
"Indonesia needs modern and strong companies to be able to
\ncompete in the international market," Latief said.<\/p>\n
He gave his word that PT Bijak would not take over the role of
\nthe manpower supplier companies nor did it intend to monopolize
\nthe business. Such fear is unfounded and exaggerated, he said.<\/p>\n
The role of the state company's will be to provide management
\nand financial assistance to manpower companies in the hope of
\nimproving their level of professionalism, he said.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that it was the lack of professionalism in the
\npast that caused some Indonesian workers to be stranded abroad
\nwith no one to turn to, citing the case of 350 Indonesian women
\nin Saudi Arabia and similar incidents in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
"They've got to show more responsibility in handling the
\nbusiness," he said.<\/p>\n
The minister said Indonesia needs at least 300 strong supplier
\ncompanies to meet the target of sending 12.5 million skilled
\nworkers overseas in the next five years.<\/p>\n
The number of Indonesian workers sent abroad last year reached
\nnearly 950,000. Indonesia earned US$3.8 billion from money sent
\nhome by workers overseas. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/latief-blasted-over-policy-on-workers-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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