Govt not doing enough to help illegal TKIs: House leaders
Govt not doing enough to help illegal TKIs: House leaders
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Leaders of the House of Representatives (DPR) expressed concern
on Tuesday that the government was not doing a good job in
handling the exodus of illegal Indonesian workers (TKIs) that
have left Malaysia.
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung and his deputy Soetardjo
Soerjogoeritno said the administration had not done its best to
help the workers.
"It's shocking to hear that our workers were caned in
Malaysia. We must respect Malaysia's law, but our government has
not done its best to help the workers," Akbar was quoted by
Antara as saying.
"Our embassy (in Kuala Lumpur) should act quickly and bravely
to help these workers as they are also human beings, not
animals," Soetardjo said.
On Monday, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa
Wea said that he would take full responsibility for the
repatriation of illegal workers from Malaysia.
He stressed that he would resign from his Cabinet post if his
handling of returning migrant workers was considered to be a
failure.
Legislator Yasril Ananta Baharuddin said earlier that the
government's repatriation efforts were a complete failure.
Both Akbar and Soetardjo urged the government to improve
coordination among ministers to ensure the workers reached their
home villages and to create job opportunities for them.
The House plans to summon Minister of Manpower and
Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea, Minister of Social Affairs
Bachtiar Chamsyah, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
Wirajuda for their lack of attention to the plight of workers
fleeing Malaysia.
Some 480,000 illegal Indonesian workers must leave Malaysia
after the neighboring country implemented a new Immigration Act
on Aug. 1. The new act threatens illegal immigrants with caning,
fines and prison sentences.
The government had set up a task force involving a number of
ministers to cope with problems arising from the repatriation of
Indonesian workers from Malaysia. It also earmarked Rp 30 billion
(US$3.5 million) to help the workers.
Malaysia had reportedly sentenced seven illegal immigrants --
including five Indonesians -- to prison and caning over the
weekend following the implementation of the new Act.
At least seven refugee workers, including three children, had
died due to depression-related illnesses in makeshift camps in
Nunukan, East Kalimantan.
Separately, Minister Jacob has revoked the licenses of eight
overseas labor recruitment agencies for falsifying documents of
workers to work in Taiwan.
The eight companies were PT Sentosa Karya Aditama, PT Nuraini
Indah Perkasa, PT Adhi Makmur Oenggoel Sejati, PT Mutiara Putra
Utama, PT Fortunatama Insani, PT Bumi Mas Antarnusa, PT Duta
Wibawa Mandaputra and PT Akbar Insan Prima.
Antara reported that the manpower agencies had violated the
Ministry of Manpower Decree No. 104/2002 on the placement of
Indonesian workers overseas.
Previously, Jacob annulled 23 licenses of labor recruitment
agencies.