Government readies advocacy teams for migrant workers

Government readies advocacy teams for migrant workers

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian Migrant Workers (TKIs) in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and
Kuwait will soon be accompanied by government-sponsored advocacy
teams to ensure that their rights are protected, Coordinating
Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla says.

"The government has appointed advocacy teams to register,
monitor, and defend TKIs in the three countries," Kalla said
after chairing a meeting here on Tuesday.

The announcement came following press reports that four
Indonesian workers could face the death sentence in neighboring
country Singapore.

Kalla did not reveal when the advocacy teams were appointed
nor their members, saying only that each advocacy team consisted
of three students and one civil servant.

One advocacy team, according to Minister Kalla, would be in
charge of 10,000 TKIs.

There are currently around one million TKIs in Malaysia,
500,000 in Saudi Arabia, and 40,000 in Kuwait.

Migrant workers in those countries have commonly experienced
problems and crimes against them, including salary cuts, torture
and rape.

Kalla said that the government would also hire lawyers in
countries of employment to defend TKIs facing legal cases.

He revealed that Indonesia and Malaysia would sign a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) in April on the placement of
TKIs in that country.

"The agreement to sign the MOU came after representatives from
both countries approved the draft and the Malaysian Parliament
endorsed it," Kalla said.

The draft, according to the minister, covers four main issues
-- the recruitment process, passport security, medical check-ups,
and transportation.

According to Kalla, Indonesia and Malaysia had agreed that the
recruitment and medical checks of workers would still be done by
Indonesian worker-recruitment companies, while the passports of
TKIs would be kept by their Malaysian employers. Airfares -- back
and forth -- would be jointly shouldered by Indonesian
worker-recruitment firms and Malaysian employers.

"But if they (TKIs) make mistakes and thus have to be
deported, they have to shoulder transportation fares themselves,"
Kalla said.

He also said that both countries agreed that TKIs working in
Malaysia would receive the minimum salary of US$10 per day.

The minister unveiled that the government had hired
Singaporean lawyers to defend the four TKIs who may face the
death sentence in Singapore.

The four workers have been identified as Juminem, 19; Siti
Aminah, 19; Genes, 19; and Sundarti, 20. They are facing murder
charges.

"We have hired local (Singaporean) lawyers, so it is not true
if some say that the government did nothing to help them," Kalla
said.

Sundarti was sentenced to death for allegedly killing her
employer and her child. She appealed the verdict.

Juminem, Siti Aminah, and Genes are now awaiting court
verdicts.

Meanwhile, Minister for Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa
Wea said on Monday that his office would limit TKI recruitment to
those who had sufficient language skills to work overseas.

Indonesian migrant workers by 2003:

No. Country Number of TKIs Death case

1. Malaysia 1,000,000 57 cases

2. Saudi Arabia 500,000 8 cases

3. Singapore 40,000 17 cases

4. Taiwan 40,000 4 cases

5. Kuwait 30,000 2 cases