Eradicating TIP Syndicates Requires Extraordinary Measures, Says Lawmaker Sahroni

Deputy Chair of Commission III of the DPR RI, Ahmad Sahroni, has called on the National Police Chief, together with the Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI) and the Directorate General of Immigration, to strengthen coordination and take extraordinary steps to eradicate the crime of people trafficking (TPPO).

According to him, the illegal dispatch of migrant workers remains a serious problem that must be addressed comprehensively, from law enforcement against the syndicates to strengthening oversight systems and the governance of migrant worker placement.

“Lately I have been reading and receiving many reports about TPPO that are increasingly alarming. The methods are becoming more sophisticated and the number of victims keeps rising. This must be taken seriously. I fully support the National Police Chief, the Minister for the Protection of Migrant Workers, and the Director General of Immigration in taking extraordinary steps to dismantle the syndicates down to their roots, and not stop at street-level recruiters alone,” Sahroni said in a statement on Wednesday (29/7).

According to Sahroni, eradicating TPPO must also be accompanied by an overhaul of the migrant worker placement system so that people can more easily access official channels and avoid being trapped in illegal networks.

“Law enforcement must go hand in hand with improved governance. Simplify the official channels, close the loopholes for illegal levies, and tighten supervision at every exit point from the country,” he said.

“The state must be present to protect migrant workers from the start of the departure process, because they leave to seek a better life and contribute foreign exchange to the nation, not to become victims of the people-trafficking mafia,” Sahroni concluded.