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.