Govt not committed to workers: Minister

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea admitted on Wednesday that violence against Indonesian workers overseas was a result of the government's lack of political will to deal seriously with labor exports.

"One of the obstacles to making labor exports a success is the absence of commitment from relevant authorities," the minister told a hearing with House of Representatives Commission VII for labor and religious affairs.

Nuwa Wea was bombarded with criticism and questions about the recent abuse against Indonesian housemaid Nirmala Bonat in Kuala Lumpur during the session.

The minister said his ministry was not the only department to blame for glitches in exporting labor.

"Before departing for abroad, workers have to obtain documents from the local administration where they live, the immigration office, the foreign ministry, the manpower ministry, labor export companies and security authorities," he said.

The minister said many workers developed problems in their workplace because they worked illegally and without vital preparation, such as job and language training and clear-cut labor contracts.

"We do appreciate the Malaysian government's good and quick response to the (latest instance of) labor abuse, which is a good example for other countries employing Indonesian workers," he said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi officially apologized for the abuse and said stern action would be taken against Nirmala's employer. He also and offered comprehensive medical and psychiatric treatment for the East Nusa Tenggara resident.

Nuwa Wea insisted that the government could not prevent violence against Indonesian workers at the hands of foreign employers but had enhanced cooperation and signed bilateral agreements with several countries to minimize abuse.

"To provide protection for workers, the government is appointing several more labor attaches in Kuwait, Hong Kong, South Korea. It is also proposing bilateral agreements with the countries," he said.

Indonesia has so far placed labor attaches in Kuala Lumpur and the Saudi Arabian cities of Riyadh and Jeddah. It signed bilateral labor agreements with Jordan in 1996, Kuwait in 1996 and Malaysia in 2004.

The minister also urged the President to submit the bill on labor protection to the House, saying the nation was in urgent need of legislation that enabled it to take action against labor exporters that failed to protect the workers they recruited and sent abroad.

There are more than 1.5 million documented Indonesians migrant workers employed in various countries, 75 percent of them in the informal sector. Indonesia has gained US$5.49 billion in foreign exchange from the workers over the last three years.