Govt lifts ban on sending workers to Saudi Arabia

Govt lifts ban on sending workers to Saudi Arabia

JAKARTA (JP): Talks between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have
resulted in lifting a temporary ban on sending workers to Saudi
Arabia starting March 1.

Both countries also agreed to respect their respective labor
laws in a bid to overcome problems of labor protection and
stagnant labor exports to that country, an official said.

Director General for Labor Placement Din Samsuddin said on
Saturday that this was the result of a three-day meeting in
Riyadh, from Feb. 16 to Feb. 19.

Din led an Indonesian team from the Ministries of Manpower and
Foreign Affairs, the House of Representatives and the Association
of Labor Export Companies to the talks with the Saudi Arabian
government team.

"The two countries teams agreed to enhance bilateral
cooperation in labor," he said.

Over the last two months, Indonesia temporarily stopped
sending workers to be employed in the informal sector in Saudi
Arabia. The government has also refused to issue work passports
to Indonesian workers, causing a decline in labor exports.

Saudi Arabia, a main destination of Indonesian workers, was
last recorded to be employing 7,000 Indonesian workers, mostly
elementary school and high school dropouts, with wages between
600 riyal (US$160) and 800 riyal.

Saudi Arabia declined to issue visas after Indonesia issued a
new ruling requiring prospective employers to go to the
Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh or its consulate in Jeddah to have
their order for workers legalized. The Saudi government rejected
what it said was Indonesia's interfering in internal affairs.

Indonesia issued the ruling following years of uproar of many
workers having inadequate protection. The ruling stated rights
should be included in labor contracts signed before leaving for
Saudi Arabia. Reports by Indonesian women employed as maids in
Saudi Arabia, and other countries, have included those on abuse
and torture.

Contracts

The ruling stipulates that labor contracts should also be
legalized by the Indonesian Embassy before being sent to
Indonesia, to be signed by workers before they leave for Saudi
Arabia.

Representatives of the host country had pointed out that it
was impractical for employers to come themselves, given the
distance of the Indonesian office from their homes.

Din said the two countries have also agreed that Saudi Arabian
labor agencies are allowed to represent employers to bring job
orders and labor contracts to the Indonesian Embassy for
legalization.

He added that the two countries agreed that labor contracts
and their contents would be negotiated between workers and
employers, and their signing would be witnessed by their own
labor agencies.

Contracts for workers employed in the informal sector abroad
should contain monthly wages, holidays, working hours, overtime
payment and health allowance or facilities. (rms)