Megawati, Mahathir expected to settle labor issue<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Ubud, Bali<\/p>\n
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad will begin a two-day
\nvisit here on Wednesday in the wake of an exodus of Indonesian
\nillegal workers from his country.<\/p>\n
The issue of illegal workers has added some tension to the
\nrelationship between the two countries, although they have
\nsurvived a number of thorny issues over the years, dating back to
\nthe early 1960s when founding Indonesian president Sukarno
\ndeclared war with Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Since Aug. 1, Kuala Lumpur has adopted a tough new immigration
\npolicy, which has resulted in the exodus of more than 300,000
\nIndonesian illegal workers. The new policy came months after
\nIndonesian workers were involved in riots in Malaysia, which
\nprompted Mahathir to put Indonesians at the bottom of the list in
\nthe recruitment process and restrict them to plantation and
\ndomestic jobs only.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is worried the return of the migrant workers will
\nspark new problems, especially unemployment. Jakarta has formally
\nasked for a one-month extension of the amnesty for the illegal
\nworkers.<\/p>\n
After his arrival in Bali at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Mahathir is
\nscheduled to stay overnight at the Tampak Siring presidential
\npalace and hold meetings with President Megawati Soekarnoputri
\nabout the labor issue and other matters.<\/p>\n
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will join Mahathir and
\nMegawati to witness the signing of the memorandum of
\nunderstanding on a three-nation rubber corporation at the palace.<\/p>\n
Foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa dismissed
\nspeculation that the problem of illegal workers would adversely
\naffect relations between Indonesia and Malaysia, which he said
\nwas one of Jakarta's most important friends.<\/p>\n
\"The labor problem will not overshadow the generally positive
\nrelations between the two countries. This is just a temporary
\nobstacle that we have to deal with,\" Marty told The Jakarta Post
\non Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Another issue that could complicate relations between the two
\ncountries is last month's rejection by the Indonesian government
\nof a bid from a Malaysian consortium for the Jakarta Outer Ring
\nRoad (JORR) project. The government instead awarded the project
\nto local company Jasa Marga.<\/p>\n
\"We have had high-profile cases, but after all is said and
\ndone we realize that it is a very important relationship (between
\nthe two countries),\" Marty said.<\/p>\n
The two countries are also involved in a territorial dispute
\nover the islands of Sipadan and Ligitan. The case is being
\nbrought to the International Tribunal in The Hague.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is set to propose a new memorandum of understanding
\non the labor issue. It is expected this memorandum will contain
\nguidelines for the return of the migrant workers to Malaysia.<\/p>\n
However, Marty said it was unclear whether the two sides
\nwould reach an agreement on the labor issue.<\/p>\n
\"I cannot say whether a deal is ready or not,\" he said.<\/p>\n
During his visit, Mahathir is scheduled to attend a ceremony
\nmarking the official delivery of 250 standard cubic feet per day
\nof natural gas from Indonesian state oil and gas company
\nPertamina to its counterpart Petronas.<\/p>",
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