Clarification on SLOM

Clarification on SLOM

I wish to refer to the articles which appeared in The Jakarta
Post on May 7, 2003. There were several factual errors in the
following articles which I wish to correct.

Article on "ASEAN to liberalize its labor markets" (page 1):

Firstly, let me clarify that the second ASEAN Senior Officials
Meeting (SLOM) held from 5 to 6 May 2003 in Lombok did not agree
to "start liberalizing their labor markets". What the second SLOM
agreed was to study the implications of the ASEAN Framework
Agreement on Services (AFAS) on labor policies and the movement
of people. The study would address two related priorities
identified by the Sixth ASEAN Summit in 1998 to accelerate the
free flow of professional and other services in the region and to
promote regional mobility and mutual recognition of technical and
professional credentials, including skills standards.

Secondly, the article stated that "all delegations agreed to
make a long list of jobs at all levels which are open to all
workers in the region". Please be informed that the compilation
of such lists and the identification of sectors for the
liberalization of services trade is normally done as part of
negotiations on services under the World Trade Organization (WTO)
and in the ASEAN context, such negotiations would come under the
purview of ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Services. Preparations
for services negotiation were not discussed at the second SLOM.

Thirdly, your article quoted me as saying that the ASEAN
Senior Labor Officials "also agreed to formulate standards of
competence for workers in the region". I wish to clarify that the
development of skills standards is an activity best left to
individual member countries to consider, taking into account
their own needs and national requirements for the certification
of those skills. ASEAN SLOM has no plans to formulate these
standards for member countries. ASEAN member countries have
agreed, however, to exchange information on skills standards and
professional qualifications, including sharing good practices on
the procedures and systems for setting these standards, as called
for by the relevant sixth ASEAN Summit directives.

Fourth, the article mentioned that "senior ASEAN officials
will hold talks with their dialog partners from South Korea,
Japan, China, The European Union, the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and the International Labor Organization (ILO)
to seek technical and financial assistance for ASEAN's joint
labor programs." The second SLOM had a meeting with the "Plus
Three" partners, namely China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea
on May 7, 2003 at the ASEAN+3 Senior Labor Officials Meeting. We
also had a dialogue with representatives of the ILO in a separate
session of the second SLOM but there were no discussions with the
UNDP or the European Union. However, the second SLOM did discuss
labor related components of projects which are supported by the
UNDP and the European Union.

Article on "RI SARS deaths in Taiwan looked into" (page 2):

The Article quoted me as saying that "another special meeting
would be held in Manila on June 23 to formulate a joint program
to prevent the spread of SARS in the workplace and among migrant
workers in the region." I wish to clarify that the second SLOM
agreed to have a "Special Meeting" on SARS as soon as possible,
preferably in June 2003, but no specific dates were mentioned.
The Special ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on SARS will discuss
the impact of SARS on labor, employment, human resources and
occupational safety and health; share experience and best
practices on managing the SARS outbreak; and discuss the role of
the social partners in helping ease the impact of SARS on
retrenchments, unemployment and workers protection.

EDISON SITUMORANG, Chairman of the 2nd ASEAN Senior Labor Officials
Meeting, Senior Adviser to the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration,
Inter-Institutional and International Relations, Ministry of Manpower
and Transmigration, Jakarta