Sending laborers to S. Arabia halted<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has imposed a seven-week
\nmoratorium on labor export to Saudia Arabia to prompt Riyadh to
\nsign an agreement on the protection of Indonesian workers there.<\/p>\n
The moratorium is effective from July 9 through Aug. 26.<\/p>\n
Saudi Arabia is one of the primary destinations of Indonesians
\nseeking employment overseas with an estimated 370,000 Indonesians
\nare working in the Middle Eastern country compared to some 33,000
\nin the United Arab Emirates and 260,000 in Malaysia in 2000.<\/p>\n
Despite the large number of Indonesian workers in Saudi
\nArabia, legal protection of their rights remains neglected.<\/p>\n
In the last few years, there have been numerous reports of
\nmistreatment of Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia while there is
\nlittle legal recourse for the workers to pursue.<\/p>\n
Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Al-Hilal Hamdi said
\nJakarta would use the moratorium to demand its Saudi Arabian
\ncounterparts sign a memorandum of understanding to better protect
\nIndonesian workers there.<\/p>\n
It is unclear whether the Saudi government will respond to
\nJakarta's demands on this matter. Al-Hilal admitted that talks
\nhad not begun.<\/p>\n
Al-Hilal cited as an example the \"insurance\" Indonesian
\nworkers in Hong Kong are given as employers have to deposit a
\ncertain amount of money with the labor export agency before
\nemploying a migrant worker.<\/p>\n
When asked, Al-Hilal could not say if the moratorium would be
\nextended if no agreement was reached by Aug. 26.<\/p>\n
Al-Hilal also promised better protection for Indonesian
\nworkers abroad saying similar moratoriums would be imposed on
\nother countries where large numbers of Indonesians are employed.<\/p>\n
\"The moratorium will not only be imposed on Saudi Arabia, it
\nwill also be imposed on other countries, but at different times,\"
\nhe said without naming the countries.<\/p>\n
He said the moratorium on the other countries would not be
\nimposed simultaneously as the level of \"severity\" of each country
\nwas different.<\/p>\n
The government's latest move is similar to the Philippines
\ngovernment's step to stop labor export to Saudi Arabia for three
\nyears until an agreement is reached.<\/p>\n
According to government statistics, there are an estimated
\n890,000 Indonesians working abroad with Saudi Arabia, Malaysia,
\nHong Kong and Taiwan being primary destinations.<\/p>\n
To better foster cooperation in the protection of Indonesian
\nmigrant workers, five Indonesian ministries on Wednesday signed a
\njoint agreement to establish a special team to resolve the issue
\nof placing and protecting migrant workers.<\/p>\n
The cross-departmental cooperation, which includes the
\nministries of manpower and transmigration, home affairs, foreign
\naffairs, justice and human rights, and finance, will formulate
\npolicies regarding migrant workers.<\/p>\n
The team will be led by the director general of training and
\nplacement of migrant workers abroad of the Ministry of Manpower
\nand Transmigration, aided by labor agencies, non-governmental
\norganizations and workers' unions. (bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sending-laborers-to-s-arabia-halted-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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