Malaysia needs more skilled workers from RI<\/p>\n
By Ridwan M. Sijabat<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (JP): Senior Malaysian government officials say
\nthey need more skilled Indonesian workers to help implement their
\nVision 2020 blueprint that will help their country become a full-
\nfledged industrial nation.<\/p>\n
While Indonesian Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief reviews
\nwith Malaysian officials their respective positions on the
\npresence of Indonesian workers in this country, Kuala Lumpur says
\nit will continue to crackdown on illegal Indonesian workers.<\/p>\n
However, the officials added, Malaysia would welcome more
\nskilled Indonesians wanting to work through legitimate channels.<\/p>\n
Latief on Tuesday met separately with Deputy Minister of Home
\nAffairs Datuk Megat Junet Megat Ayub, Chief of the Malaysian
\nEconomic Planning Unit Tun Daim Zainuddin and Minister of Labor
\nLim Ah Lek.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian minister arrived on Monday for a three-day
\nvisit to iron out problems regarding Indonesian workers.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of thousands of workers, mostly unskilled, are
\nworking illegally and posing serious problems to the Malaysian
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Latief also came here in the wake of press reports suggesting
\nthat as many as 1,500 Indonesian workers are currently in
\nMalaysian jails for various offenses, mostly for breaking
\nimmigration rules.<\/p>\n
\"We will continue the operation to curb the inflow of foreign
\nworkers and to crack down on workers employed illegally in the
\ncountry,\" Juned said after the meeting with Latief.<\/p>\n
Juned expressed deep concern that most Indonesians who come to
\nMalaysian illegally take a great risk.<\/p>\n
\"It is very sorrowful that many Indonesian workers have been
\nkilled in sea mishaps on their way to enter Malaysia illegally,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"Most of them are old women, children and they are generally
\nilliterate, uneducated and unskilled,\" he said, underlining that
\ntheir condition exposes themselves to exploitation by employers.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian embassy here said some 600,000 Indonesians are
\nregistered as workers in Malaysia but it is widely believed that
\nstill 600,000 others are working illegally in the country.<\/p>\n
Juned said most Malaysian employers prefer hiring skilled
\nIndonesian workers to employing workers from other countries.<\/p>\n
Complaints<\/p>\n
He echoed the complaints of Malaysian employers about the red
\ntape involved in Indonesia to hire Indonesian workers through
\nlegitimate channels. \"Many employers and users here have
\nfrequently complained that they have to wait a long time after
\nordering workers from Indonesia because of the complicated
\nbureaucratic procedures.\"<\/p>\n
Lim Ah Lek said after his meeting with Latief that the illegal
\nstatus of most Indonesian workers makes them easy prey.<\/p>\n
\"No foreign workers will be exploited if they follow legal
\nprocedures when entering the country,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, foreign workers who are legally employed
\nenjoy the protection granted by Malaysian labor laws, he said.<\/p>\n
Lim said Malaysia needs around 2.5 million foreign workers to
\nhelp implement its Vision 2020 plan.<\/p>\n
During their meeting with Latief, the two ministers discussed
\nways of securing the welfare of Indonesian workers in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Lim said the Malaysian government is working on legislation
\nregarding a social security program for domestic and foreign
\nworkers.<\/p>\n
\"The social security legislation will be sent in the near
\nfuture to the Attorney General's Office and the Parliament for
\nratification and is expected to be enacted this year,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malaysia-needs-more-skilled-workers-from-ri-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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