Standards needed before liberalizing ASEAN labor markets<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara<\/p>\n
Ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN) apparently will not liberalize their labor market
\nin the immediate future, due to their different working
\nconditions and the absence of a regional standard for competence.<\/p>\n
"The liberalization of the labor market is entrusted to each
\nmember country, and no member country can force others to open
\ntheir labor markets, as it depends on the laws in their countries
\nand the quality of their human resources," Jacob Nuwa Wea,
\nchairman of the ASEAN Labor Ministerial Meeting (ALMM), said
\nduring a press conference at the close of the two-day meeting
\nhere on Friday.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea, also the manpower minister, explained that the issue
\nof labor market liberalization was discussed intensely during the
\nthree-day ASEAN Senior Labor Officials Meeting (SLOM) and the
\nALMM, but it was unlikely to result in a free labor market
\nimmediately.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Deputy Minister of Labor Abdul Latiff Ahmad
\nconcurred and said Malaysia principally supported the
\nliberalization of the labor market in the region, but it was
\nunlikely to do so at present because of the differing labor
\ncondition and quality of human resources of the member countries.<\/p>\n
"To liberalize the labor market in the ASEAN region, a
\nstandard labor competence for all kinds of jobs is needed, and
\nall ASEAN member countries should adopt a mutual recognition of
\ncertified labor skills that are regionally accepted.<\/p>\n
"But, we have to accept the fact that there are still
\ndifferent standards of skill and expertise in the respective
\ncountries. We need a further discussion on it, so that the issue
\n(labor market liberalization) will benefit all member countries
\nand their workers," he said.<\/p>\n
He noted that ASEAN could not adopt the same strategy as the
\nEuropean Union in liberalizing the labor market, because the
\nquality of workers among ASEAN countries varied greatly.<\/p>\n
ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong said it was difficult at
\npresent to allow workers to move freely in the region because
\nliberalizing the labor market required a regional standard of
\nskill and professionalism.<\/p>\n
"ASEAN has to take appropriate measures to handle this crucial
\nissue, and it is important for us to find a good balance to
\ncreate jobs for all people with regulations, as well as to set
\nlabor standards," he said, saying that it would be very difficult
\nto set standards of competence for unskilled workers.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea said that all delegations agreed to seek Australia's
\nassistance to study the possibility of setting a standard of
\ncompetence for all jobs, to allow workers to freely move from one
\ncountry to another in the region.<\/p>\n
ASEAN has already successfully liberalized its trade markets,
\nbeginning in January of this year.<\/p>\n
The grouping, however, has not yet touched the service
\nsectors, which are still being worked out under the ASEAN
\nFramework Agreement on Services, which also covers labor issues.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and the Philippines, the two main exporters of
\nworkers in the region, are the strongest advocates of the
\nliberalization of the region's labor markets.<\/p>\n
Indonesian workers have flooded into Malaysia to work in the
\nplantation and construction sectors, as well as to work as
\ndomestic helpers. Many Indonesians also work in Singapore as
\nmaids.<\/p>\n
The ASEAN labor ministers also agreed that their senior
\nofficials should hold a special meeting in the Philippines soon
\nto take necessary measures to combat the Severe Acute Respiratory
\nSyndrome (SARS) that has plagued the region, as well as to
\nmitigate its toll on the regional population and economy.<\/p>\n
The ministers also emphasized the importance of exchanging
\nexperience and information in controlling and containing the
\ndisease's spread in the region, saying that comprehensive and
\nstringent measures by affected ASEAN member countries were
\nnecessary to prevent a possible adverse impact on workers and the
\nlabor condition.<\/p>\n
Nuwa Wea said that the special meeting was expected to provide
\ninformation on SARS to ministerial-level task forces and various
\nnational focal points, which would organize the meeting and take
\nappropriate action.<\/p>\n
Philippine's Minister of Labor Patricia A. Sto. Thomas
\nconfirmed after the meeting that she accepted ALMM's request for
\nthe Philippine government to host the meeting and the special
\nsenior official meeting would likely be held on June 23 in
\nManila.<\/p>",
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