Govt to draft law on labor exports: Al-Hilal

Govt to draft law on labor exports: Al-Hilal

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Al-Hilal
Hamdi said the government intends to draft a law regulating
standard procedures for the export of labor, including legal
protection for Indonesians working overseas.

"The presence of a law is urgently needed to replace the
current ministerial decree, which is considered out of date. The
law will regulate standard procedures labor exporters must comply
with in supplying workers overseas, and provide stiffer sanctions
against those who violate them," he during the extraordinary
congress of the Indonesian Labor Exporters Association (Apjati)
here on Wednesday.

The standard procedures will cover training for workers, labor
contracts with foreign employers and legal protection for
workers.

Al-Hilal conceded the controversy surrounding the export of
labor often was due to the absence of a vigorous law, the
Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration's poor service and the
poor management of labor export companies.

The supply of female workers overseas has been objected to by
several ministers and non-governmental organizations here due to
the frequent cases of exploitation of Indonesian workers.

Al-Hilal said despite the criticism, the government decided to
continue exporting labor because it was a good strategy to help
solve the high level of unemployment in the country.

"As long as we have political trouble in inviting foreign
investors to invest here, we have no better alternative than the
strategic labor export program to cope with the unemployment
problem. Now we have around three million people working in
numerous countries.

"If the labor export system is repaired, this figure is
expected to double in the next five years," he said.

He further stressed the need for the government to tighten
labor export regulations to minimize the supply of unskilled
workers.

"This could be controlled by certifying workers who want to
work overseas," he said.

Tjeppy Alo'ei, the director general for labor placement at the
Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, called on the congress
to elect a chairman who was professional and had strong
managerial skills to repair the association's badly tarnished
image.

"Apjati needs strong leadership to help further the interests
of labor exporters," he said, adding that the association played
a key role in improving Indonesia's bargaining position in the
international labor market.

Anthon Sihombing, who is tipped for the association's top
position, said if elected his main program would be to revamp the
association so it would be more effective and to lobby partner
agencies overseas to improve protection for Indonesian workers.

"We should also improve coordination with related government
institutions, including the foreign ministry, the immigration
office and the National Police, to support labor exports," he
said. (rms)