The complicated problems of manpower<\/p>\n
By Wahyu Susilo<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Industrialization has spurred inter-state
\nmanpower mobility in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and
\nLaos are among countries supplying manpower for job openings in
\nMalaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam and Thailand.<\/p>\n
Economic, cultural and political aspects influence Southeast
\nAsia's manpower migration character. Migrant laborers from
\nIndonesia and the Philippines usually find work in Malaysia,
\nSingapore and Brunei Darussalam, the Malay ethnic origin being
\ntheir common denominator.<\/p>\n
Thailand, meanwhile, usually receives laborers of Indochinese
\nethnic origin from Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Politics plays a significant role in labor migration in
\nIndochina. Long-winded political conflicts in Vietnam have led to
\nlabor migration as practiced by the Vietnamese boat people.<\/p>\n
In Cambodia, political disputes between Hun Sen and Ranarridh
\nhave prompted border crossers to enter Thailand and work as
\nundocumented migrant workers (a more neutral term than illegal
\nworkers).<\/p>\n
Thailand is also home to thousands of migrant workers from
\nMyanmar, who fled their country when the current military
\ngovernment canceled the outcome of the country's general election
\nwon by the Aung San Syu Kyi-led National League of Democracy.<\/p>\n
A 1995 report of the United Nations' Economic and Social
\nCommission for Asia and the Pacific (ECOSOC) entitled Recent
\nTrends in International Migration in Asia, says that manpower
\nmigration greatly affects industrialization and social changes in
\nSoutheast Asia.<\/p>\n
Singapore, it says, has derived the greatest advantage from
\nthis migration of workers. The country's receipts from migrant
\nworkers' taxes are increasing as many more new job opportunities
\nare available in domestic, manufacturing and construction
\nsectors.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, however, migrant workers have not been properly
\nprovided with legal protection. The condition in Malaysia is
\nalmost the same as that in Singapore. The difference being that
\nin Malaysia domestic and estate sectors absorb the greatest
\nnumber of migrant workers. Close to 75 percent of migrant workers
\nin the estate sector, however, are undocumented.<\/p>\n
Ironically, the problem of migrant workers does not usually
\nreceive high priority on the agenda of regional fora such as the
\nOrganization of Islamic Conference, the Asia-Pacific Economic
\nCooperation and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.<\/p>\n
These regional fora lay greater stress on economic interests
\nrather than on efforts to forge regional inter-community
\nsolidarity. As a regional forum in Southeast Asia, ASEAN
\nprioritizes the economic and political aspects benefiting
\ncapitalists and political power holders over efforts to nurture
\ninterests of people in the region.<\/p>\n
In the economic sector, ASEAN has not only given birth to the
\nASEAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry but has also bolstered the
\nSijori (Singapore-Johor-Riau) triangle economic region.<\/p>\n
In the political arena, ASEAN has blindly thrown its support
\nbehind the military regime in Myanmar, which is the target of
\ninternational condemnation owing to its repression of the popular
\ndemocratic movement of the Myanmar people.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, however, ASEAN has yet to pay attention to
\nthe fate of the common people in its member countries. Migrant
\nworkers are the representation of the common people being
\nmarginalized in the process of the region's economic growth.<\/p>\n
After more than 20 years of existence, ASEAN has not even once
\nfocused its attention on labor migration, a phenomenon which
\noften initiates constraint in diplomatic relations among ASEAN
\nmember countries.<\/p>\n
The death sentence passed in Singapore's court on Flor
\nContemplacion, a migrant worker from the Philippines, strained
\ndiplomatic relations between the two countries. Indonesia and
\nMalaysia have undergone similar tensions with border crossing of
\nundocumented workers from Indonesia to Malaysia.<\/p>\n
As an ASEAN member country and worker supplier, Indonesia must
\ninsist that ASEAN prioritize problems of labor migration
\ninvolving ASEAN member countries.<\/p>\n
Many migrant workers from Indonesia employed in Brunei
\nDarussalam, Malaysia and Singapore have fallen victim to
\nswindling, torture and sexual harassment and abuse leading to
\ntheir incarceration, permanent and physical disability and even
\ndeath.<\/p>\n
Data from the Women's Solidarity non-governmental organization
\nreveals the huge number of workers who have died or received
\nviolent treatment in Southeast Asia (see Table).<\/p>\n
Until now no structural efforts have been made to protect the
\nrights of Indonesian migrant workers.<\/p>\n
As a matter of fact, people's solidarity has been forged in
\ndealing with problems related to migrant workers in Southeast
\nAsia.<\/p>\n
Take for example the imprisonment in Malaysia of an Indonesian
\nundocumented migrant worker. In conjunction with this, Tenaganita
\n(a Malaysian NGO) drew up a report on human rights violations
\ncommitted by Malaysian officials against migrant workers.<\/p>\n
As a result, Irene Fernandez, a member of the Tenaganita
\ngoverning board, was brought to court and charged with spreading
\nfalse reports.<\/p>\n
In another case a woman migrant worker, Hartati, from
\nIndonesia, was tortured by her Singaporean employer. The
\nSingaporean people responded with anger and condemned the
\nemployer and the recruiting agency, a manifestation of their
\nconcern with, and sympathy for, Hartati and her plight.<\/p>\n
This response indicates universal solidarity with respect to
\nthe sufferings sustained by Indonesian migrant workers.
\nTherefore, it is important to continue forging and nurturing
\npopular solidarity in Southeast Asia and to press ASEAN to
\nseriously handle problems related to migrant workers in this
\nparticular region.<\/p>\n
The writer is an alumnus of the history department, School of
\nLetters, Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta and works as a
\nstaffer at the Advocacy Division of Solidaritas Perempuan,
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Table: Cases involving Indonesian migrant workers in Southeast
\nAsian countries (Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam)
\nbetween 1991 and 1997<\/p>\n
Case type Number of Workers Number of Workers<\/p>\n
with Clear Identity without Identity<\/p>\n
----------------------------------------------------------<\/p>\n
Death 31 people 470 people<\/p>\n
Violence 10 people 481,043 people<\/p>\n
Undocumented 28 people 1,618,685 people<\/p>\n
Source: Database of Solidaritas Perempuan, 1997<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-complicated-problems-of-manpower-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }