ASEAN tackle issue of migrant workers

ASEAN tackle issue of migrant workers

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Lawmakers from ASEAN countries shared views on Tuesday on the
need to accord better treatment to migrant workers by drafting a
resolution consisting of standard rights for workers to ensure
their safety while on duty overseas.

The lawmakers also recommended that each member country
government of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
take tough action against anyone maltreating workers.

"We agree to protect workers from abuse or maltreatment by
their employers," said Aisyah Aminy, who chaired the committee
for social affairs here on Tuesday.

She added that the draft resolution would also urge the
government of each ASEAN country to ban illegal workers from
being employed in their respective countries.

The lawmakers also agreed to improve alertness among ASEAN
countries on the prevention of certain diseases, like the recent
outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

According to Aisyah, ASEAN lawmakers agreed to share
information on the disease.

Separately, Alvin Lie Ling Piao said that the committee
meeting also agreed to urge the government of each ASEAN country
to impose penalties on individuals or manpower agencies that
maltreated workers.

The meeting also agreed to recommend each government to
improve health facilities for poor citizens.

The draft resolution would be brought to a plenary meeting of
the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO), scheduled for
Thursday.

AIPO delegates were scheduled to go to the Puncak resort, West
Java, on Wednesday. They will visit tea plantations and the
Safari Zoo.

Meanwhile, lawmakers from the committee on political matters
shared views on the need to improve security within the ASEAN
region in anticipation of the threat of terrorism and
transnational crime.

The lawmakers will only deal with legislative matters, not
operational ones. The committee will focus on the need to
establish a security council among ASEAN countries.

In the meantime, the committee on economic matters has also
drafted a resolution on the need to create ASEAN legislation for
realization of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA).

The draft calls for active participation of each AIPO member
legislature in promoting and formulating common legal frameworks
on trade and investment pursuant to a number of ASEAN agreements.

Another resolution drafted by the committee was a resolution
on economic cooperation and comprehensive partnership between
ASEAN and East Asia.