Minister annoyed by worker extortion<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The extortion of Indonesian migrant workers when they returned
\nhome continued despite measures to curb the practice,
\nthe minister responsible for their welfare told a House of
\nRepresentatives commission on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea
\nexpressed his frustration to the Commission VI on labor and
\nsocial affairs, saying his efforts to stamp out the problem had
\nproved ineffectual.<\/p>\n
"I understand the migrant workers' severe suffering --
\nsuffering to find money to work overseas and suffering during
\ntheir employment abroad -- but I don't know how to do more," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Commission members grilled the minister over the widespread
\nextortion of workers returning home through Terminal III of the
\nSoekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, Tangerang.<\/p>\n
They suggested the government close down the special terminal
\nand let workers return through ordinary passenger routes to
\nminimize the extortion.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea said the local manpower and transmigration office and
\nmany other officials were involved in handling workers at the
\nairport.<\/p>\n
"Upon their arrival at the airport, workers without their
\nconsent are faced with illegal brokers who, with falsified docu
\nments, are there to fetch the workers. They then enter the immi
\ngration and excise checkpoints where they are often charged with
\nillegal levies...."<\/p>\n
Migrant workers faced a series of extortion scams at the
\nspecial terminal and during trips to their home villages in Java
\nand West Nusa Tenggara, he said.<\/p>\n
Some returning workers did not bring money because they were
\nrepatriated after problems or illness during their employment
\noverseas.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea said he was not to blame for the extortion because
\nofficials from many other departments were involved.<\/p>\n
"I won't give up and, therefore, I have taken action against
\nmy subordinates and labor exporters found extorting workers.<\/p>\n
"However, I cannot take similar actions against authorized
\nofficers from the immigration office, police and PT Angkasa Pura
\nand the illegal brokers roaming the airport," he said.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea rejected the commission's call to repatriate workers
\nthrough terminals used by ordinary passengers. This would only
\nincrease the corruption, he said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
He said his office in cooperation with security authorities
\nwas preparing a special lounge in Ciracas, East Jakarta, to
\nreplace the special terminal.<\/p>\n
"Upon their arrival at the airport, migrant workers will be
\ndirectly transported to Ciracas where they will be allowed to
\nstay for several days before they continue their trip home in
\nspecial cars," he said.<\/p>\n
He assured the commission he has gained nothing from labor
\nexports and his family was not involved in the business.<\/p>\n
"My soul would not enter heaven if I received money from labor
\nexports," he said.<\/p>\n
But a labor exporter who asked for anonymity said a son of
\nNuwa Wea's was running a medical check-up counter at the special
\nterminal. The counter charged Rp 50,000 (US$6) for every
\nreturning worker, he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/minister-annoyed-by-worker-extortion-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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