Susilo greets returning migrant workers<\/p>\n
Fadli and Puji Santoso, The Jakarta Post\/Tanjung Pinang\/Dumai<\/p>\n
In a show of sympathy, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono greeted
\non Wednesday undocumented migrant workers who had returned to the
\ncountry from Malaysia via major entry points in Riau and
\nneighboring Riau Islands provinces.<\/p>\n
Local officials ushered the president upon his arrival to a
\nhall in a Tanjung Pinang center to meet some 200 migrant workers
\nwho had been waiting for him.<\/p>\n
\"To our labor heroes returning from Malaysia, welcome back. I
\nam here to see for myself whether you faced any problems on your
\nway home,\" the President told the workers.<\/p>\n
Susilo said the migrant workers deserved the government's
\nappreciation for helping to curb unemployment and for their
\nstruggle to make a living in a foreign country.<\/p>\n
\"Migrant workers have helped the government, as you have
\nreduced the number of open unemployment, which currently stands
\nat 10.3 million,\" Susilo said.<\/p>\n
With an estimated 700,000 workers repatriating from Malaysia,
\nSusilo said his administration would have to tackle a more
\nserious unemployment problem.<\/p>\n
Susilo led a high-powered delegation to draw up repatriation
\nmanagement plans comprising Coordinating Minister for Political,
\nLegal and Security Affairs Widodo A.S., Coordinating Minister for
\nPeople's Welfare Alwi Shihab, Minister of Social Services
\nBachtiar Chamsyah, Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf, Minister
\nof Transportation Hatta Radjasa, Minister of Health Siti Fadila
\nSupari, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, National
\nPolice Chief Da'i Bachtiar and Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi.<\/p>\n
The mass repatriation follows Malaysia's decision to provide
\namnesty to illegal workers in view of the approaching Idul Fitri
\nholiday, if they left by Nov. 14.<\/p>\n
However, only some 9,000 of 400,000 Indonesian illegal
\nworkers have responded to the amnesty offer, raising concerns
\namong the two neighboring governments.<\/p>\n
The Riau Islands has already received 4,018 returning workers.<\/p>\n
While the government is seeking measures to tackle
\nunemployment issues that would ensue from the repatriation,
\nincluding a resettlement program, the president said Minister of
\nManpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris, who is now in Kuala
\nLumpur, would ask Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
\nto accept the workers back when they had obtained proper
\ndocuments.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Dumai, a number of arriving migrant workers
\nspoke to Susilo about the discriminatory treatment and abuse they
\nhad endured from their Malaysian employers regarding leave and
\nwages.<\/p>\n
Sahrosa of Jambi said many Malaysian employers paid Indonesian
\nmigrant workers much less than those from the Philippines and
\nother countries.<\/p>\n
\"They paid Filipino workers up to 2,000 ringgit a month, but
\nonly gave us one fifth of that amount,\" said the 26-year-old
\nwoman, who worked for a shopkeeper for almost two years.<\/p>\n
Illegal Indonesian workers, most of whom are unskilled, are
\ntypically employed in the construction, plantation and service
\nsectors.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Rusdihardjo said workers
\nfrom the Philippines were paid higher wages because they could
\nspeak English and had technological skills.<\/p>\n
Susilo promised to ask Kuala Lumpur to improve labor
\nconditions on behalf of the interests of Indonesian workers
\nthere.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, hundreds of migrant workers entered Surabaya on
\nWednesday through Juanda Airport and Tanjung Perak port, becoming
\nthe first workers to arrive in East Java from Malaysia.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/susilo-greets-returning-migrant-workers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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