More groups protest labor bill<\/p>\n
Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
More women's groups demanded on Friday that the House of
\nRepresentatives delay the endorsement of the migrant workers'
\nprotection bill as it did not include protection of undocumented
\nworkers, who make up the bulk of Indonesians employed overseas.<\/p>\n
National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas
\nPerempuan) chairwoman Kamala Chandrakirana said the bill
\nneglected the fact that illegal migrant workers were actually
\nvictims who still deserved government protection.<\/p>\n
\"Regardless of the status of their documents or their
\ncompetency, migrant workers are human beings who deserve
\nrespectful treatment and have the right to protection from all
\ntypes of abuse from their agencies or employers.<\/p>\n
\"And that's where the government should come in as it has the
\nduty to keep its citizens safe and well while working outside the
\ncountry,\" said Kamala.<\/p>\n
The bill says protection will be given to migrant workers
\nwhose \"legal documents meet requirements set by the government.\"<\/p>\n
Member of the Consortium for the Protection of Rights of
\nMigrant Workers (KOPBUMI) Suprihartin sided with Kamala, saying
\nthat migrant workers needed to pay extra fees to receive
\nprotection from the government.<\/p>\n
\"Isn't it absurd? It's explicitly written in the bill that
\nmigrant workers have to pay certain fees before they are able to
\nreceive protection from the government,\" said Suprihartin, known
\nas Tina.<\/p>\n
Article 79 of the bill says migrant workers have to pay fees
\nfor documents, medical tests and certificates of competency.<\/p>\n
Article 63 and 87 stipulate that migrant workers have to pay
\nfees for training and protection, respectively.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, article 9 of the bill says Indonesian migrant
\nworkers are subject to service fees and placement fees.<\/p>\n
\"Should they refuse to pay any of those fees, they will be
\npunished, such as a cancellation of their work contract and
\ndeportation at their own cost. And they will not receive any
\nprotection,\" Tina said during a press conference.<\/p>\n
She added that the women's groups did not encourage illegal
\nmigrant workers, but they still wanted them to be protected.<\/p>\n
Kamala agreed with Tina, saying the government-sponsored bill
\nfocused too much on placement of migrant workers rather than
\nprotecting them.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, we call on the House and the government to
\npostpone the endorsement of the bill as it needs reviewing,\" said
\nKamala.<\/p>\n
Komnas Perempuan and KOPBUMI will organize a peace rally in
\nvarious cities, including Jakarta, Makassar, Palembang and
\nLampung simultaneously on Monday to raise public awareness of the
\nflawed bill.<\/p>\n
The House has planned to endorse the bill before its current
\nterm ends on Sept. 30.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-groups-protest-labor-bill-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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