RI and Malaysia to sign MoU on migrant workers<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Malaysia are scheduled to discuss a new memorandum
\nof understanding (MoU) on Indonesian migrant labor in September
\nin a bid to address the recent humanitarian crisis that resulted
\nfrom the expulsion of Indonesian illegal workers from Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Monday
\nthat the new memorandum would cover all issues related to migrant
\nworkers.<\/p>\n
"The Indonesian government will prepare an MoU that covers the
\nrecruitment and replacement of these workers, and the concept
\nwill then be discussed with Malaysia in September," Hassan said
\nduring a press conference organized to mark the 57th anniversary
\nof the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<\/p>\n
He stressed that it was important to achieve a comprehensive
\nsolution to the migrant worker issue that could accommodate the
\ninterests of both countries.<\/p>\n
The draft of the new MoU, Hassan said, would be jointly
\ndiscussed by his ministry, the Ministry of Manpower and
\nTransmigration, and the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.<\/p>\n
The issue of illegal Indonesian workers in Malaysia came to a
\nhead after the neighboring country introduced a new Immigration
\nAct permitting caning, fines and jail terms for foreigners
\nworking illegally in that country.<\/p>\n
According to Minister Hassan, some 320,000 illegal workers had
\nbeen deported to Indonesia, while some 160,000 workers had passed
\nthrough the Indonesian border town of Nunukan in East Kalimantan
\nfrom East Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Dozens of Indonesians have already been caned, fined or
\nimprisoned since the law took effect on Aug. 1. They are to be
\ndeported after serving their sentences.<\/p>\n
"It is the right of Malaysia as a sovereign country to deal
\nwith the issue of illegal migrant workers there, and it is time
\nfor us to do something to improve matters regarding this issue,"
\nHassan said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Malaysia failed to agree on a memorandum of
\nunderstanding on illegal workers during a two-day consultation
\nmeeting between President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Malaysian
\nPrime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the Tampaksiring palace in
\nBali earlier this month.<\/p>\n
Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea blamed
\nthe failure on Minister Hassan, accusing him of not engaging in
\nenough diplomatic efforts with Malaysia.<\/p>\n
The earlier, proposed MoU was supposed to have provided for
\nthe sharing of the burden of deporting illegal workers between
\nIndonesia and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Hassan, however, argued that there was no point in signing
\nsuch an agreement with Malaysia as the latter had already started
\ndeporting Indonesian illegal workers.<\/p>\n
"I do not want to engage in a public debate with my colleague,
\nbut people need to understand that the decision to develop a more
\ncomprehensive MoU on labor was reached during an
\ninterdepartmental meeting and not by the Ministry of Foreign
\nAffairs alone," Hassan said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-and-malaysia-to-sign-mou-on-migrant-workers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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