Govt warns against abuses in labor export
Govt warns against abuses in labor export
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief warned labor export companies against committing any more violations, announcing stiffer measures in response to abuses.
In a ceremony marking the issuance of new licenses for 69 labor export companies here yesterday, Latief said that violations, which often have fatal consequences on the workers, were still rampant. The ministry, however, was ready to revoke the licenses of companies found to be guilty, he pointed out.
"Many companies are still violating procedures of labor export overseas," he said, though failing to name the offenders.
Among the violations the companies conducted were the recruiting and sending abroad of untrained workers, and the falsification of workers' identities to expedite their entrance to importing countries. There are countries which receive only workers of certain religions, for instance, and so the companies falsify data about the workers' faiths.
"These practices must be stopped," Latief said.
Latief said a team has been set up to evaluate the performance of the labor export companies. The team is authorized to initiate legal actions against violators.
Procedures
The ministry recently tightened procedures for the sending of Indonesian workers abroad by issuing a decree which named a number of conditions a company has to comply with before it can operate.
In addition to possessing a new license and strong management, companies are required to set up mechanisms which provide workers with legal protection.
The booming markets for Indonesian workers in some foreign countries, such as Malaysia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia, bring adverse consequences such as mistreatment of workers on the part of employers. Reports of rape or abuse of workers were rampant, and analysts and activists alike have complained that many of the workers lack legal protection.
With yesterday's issuance of new permits, the total number of labor export companies with new licenses is 154.
Anthon Sihombing, deputy chairman of the Association of Indonesian Labor Export Companies (APJATI) welcomed the issuance of new licenses.
The additional licensees would help spur competition among the labor export companies, especially on service, training and protection for workers, he said.
So far this year, Indonesia has exported over 255,000 workers. The figure exceeded the targeted 230,000 for the 1995-96 fiscal year. Forty percent of the workers are skilled.
The government has vowed to phase out the sending of unskilled workers abroad. Starting from 1998, Indonesia hopes to send only trained and skilled workers.
The campaign aimed at not only improving the image and welfare of Indonesian workers abroad, but also at increasing foreign exchange revenues through the repatriation of their earnings.
It was in this context that Latief yesterday made a fresh call on the companies to provide workers with adequate training prior to their departure.
The minister said that the government had every interest to improve the labor export program because not only it helps increase foreign exchange, it also eases unemployment problems at home. (rms)