Govt decision on labor export criticized
Govt decision on labor export criticized
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives has criticized the
government's decision to temporarily stop labor exports to Saudi
Arabia, saying this policy was not helpful for the national
employment program at a time of alarming levels of unemployment.
Ismoe Handoko, a legislator of the ruling Golkar faction in
the Commission in charge of labor, among other things, said
Friday the decision, announced unexpectedly on Feb. 1, would be
devastating to labor as well as to diplomatic ties between the
two countries.
"We do not understand why the government has made such a
controversial policy," given massive dismissals and a high
unemployment rate, he told a hearing with the Association of
Indonesian Labor Export Companies (Apjati).
The Ministry of Manpower has temporarily barred labor export
companies from recruiting and sending workers to Saudi Arabia in
response to the latter's refusal to comply with Indonesia's new
ruling on work contracts.
Indonesia has required Saudi Arabian users and labor agencies
to get endorsement of work contracts from the Indonesian Embassy
in Riyadh before workers leave Indonesia in an effort to provide
strong protection for the migrants.
The government made the decision in response to protests at
cases of torture, rape and underpayment of Indonesian workers in
that country.
Saudi Arabia, which considered the Indonesian regulation an
intervention in its internal affairs, has refused to comply with
it because several users and labor agencies, living far from the
Indonesian Embassy, have to make long trips.
Ismoe said labor export was the only alternative to domestic
unemployment.
"Unemployment is expected to reach between 35 million and 40
million this April as there are no indications of economic
recovery in the near future," he said.
Djusril Djusan of Golkar warned many would seek work by
illegal means as a result of banning work overseas. Workers would
then be even more vulnerable to abuse, he said.
He added that in 1996 around 24,000 Indonesian workers were
deported by Saudi Arabia for abusing the pilgrimage (haj)
passport in order to work there.
Apjati Deputy Chairman Abdullah Umar said tens of thousands of
workers have been stranded in the dormitories of labor supply
firms over the last two months due to the new policy, causing
huge losses to the companies.
"Departures for at least 40,000 workers who have been supplied
with the required documents to leave for Saudi Arabia have been
suspended," he said.
Dozens of companies have lodged complaints with Apjati to
protest the delayed departures.
He blamed lack of protection for workers on the absence of
bilateral cooperation with Saudi Arabia.
"Right up until the present the two countries have had no
agreement or an MOU on protection of Indonesian workers in the
country since Indonesian workers employed as domestic helpers in
families in that country are not covered by its labor law," he
said, citing the fact that the Indonesian workers were under the
jurisdiction of Saudi Arabia's interior ministry. (rms)
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives has criticized the
government's decision to temporarily stop labor exports to Saudi
Arabia, saying this policy was not helpful for the national
employment program at a time of alarming levels of unemployment.
Ismoe Handoko, a legislator of the ruling Golkar faction in
the Commission in charge of labor, among other things, said
Friday the decision, announced unexpectedly on Feb. 1, would be
devastating to labor as well as to diplomatic ties between the
two countries.
"We do not understand why the government has made such a
controversial policy," given massive dismissals and a high
unemployment rate, he told a hearing with the Association of
Indonesian Labor Export Companies (Apjati).
The Ministry of Manpower has temporarily barred labor export
companies from recruiting and sending workers to Saudi Arabia in
response to the latter's refusal to comply with Indonesia's new
ruling on work contracts.
Indonesia has required Saudi Arabian users and labor agencies
to get endorsement of work contracts from the Indonesian Embassy
in Riyadh before workers leave Indonesia in an effort to provide
strong protection for the migrants.
The government made the decision in response to protests at
cases of torture, rape and underpayment of Indonesian workers in
that country.
Saudi Arabia, which considered the Indonesian regulation an
intervention in its internal affairs, has refused to comply with
it because several users and labor agencies, living far from the
Indonesian Embassy, have to make long trips.
Ismoe said labor export was the only alternative to domestic
unemployment.
"Unemployment is expected to reach between 35 million and 40
million this April as there are no indications of economic
recovery in the near future," he said.
Djusril Djusan of Golkar warned many would seek work by
illegal means as a result of banning work overseas. Workers would
then be even more vulnerable to abuse, he said.
He added that in 1996 around 24,000 Indonesian workers were
deported by Saudi Arabia for abusing the pilgrimage (haj)
passport in order to work there.
Apjati Deputy Chairman Abdullah Umar said tens of thousands of
workers have been stranded in the dormitories of labor supply
firms over the last two months due to the new policy, causing
huge losses to the companies.
"Departures for at least 40,000 workers who have been supplied
with the required documents to leave for Saudi Arabia have been
suspended," he said.
Dozens of companies have lodged complaints with Apjati to
protest the delayed departures.
He blamed lack of protection for workers on the absence of
bilateral cooperation with Saudi Arabia.
"Right up until the present the two countries have had no
agreement or an MOU on protection of Indonesian workers in the
country since Indonesian workers employed as domestic helpers in
families in that country are not covered by its labor law," he
said, citing the fact that the Indonesian workers were under the
jurisdiction of Saudi Arabia's interior ministry. (rms)