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