15 companies get permits to supply workers abroad
15 companies get permits to supply workers abroad
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief yesterday
granted 15 more companies licenses to export workers, bringing
the total of licensed firms to 29 since he compelled some 300
companies to re-register last year.
Although the pressure was mounting on the government to
license more given the potential foreign exchange earnings from
sending workers abroad, Latief yesterday said that he would
remain cautious in issuing licenses.
The Ministry, he disclosed, has received 165 applications for
new licenses, but most of them have been turned down because they
failed to meet the government requirements.
Latief last year tightened the regulations governing the
sending of workers overseas, a lucrative business but one that
was beset by mismanagement resulting in thousands of workers
being stranded overseas.
One requirement sets a company's level of minimum paid up
capital higher and another compels companies to provide their own
training facilities for the workers to be sent abroad.
Latief said the government will be very selective in issuing
new licenses since this program deals with human beings.
"Besides the minimum capital requirement and training facilities,
these companies must apply modern management in their operation."
He added that the aim of these regulations is to protect the
workers from being abused by the companies or by their employers
overseas.
Latief yesterday had more bad news for those companies waiting
for their licenses: That they can no longer send workers abroad
while waiting for the issuance of the licenses. Up until now the
companies hadn't suspended their services.
"Companies which are still sending workers abroad will
jeopardize their license applications," he told reporters
yesterday during the ceremony to hand over the 15 new licenses.
"We'll make no more allowances," he said referring to the fact
that some 170 companies had been allowed to send workers while
waiting for their licenses.
A senior ministry official said the government has already
sent a circular to these companies ordering them to stop sending
workers abroad until after they receive their new licenses.
The government earlier estimated that Indonesia needs at least
300 manpower supplier companies to be able to export some 1.25
million workers in the next five years. (rms)