Illegal migrant workers

Illegal migrant workers

From Media Indonesia

The worsening national economy has resulted in tens of millions of people becoming unemployed or half employed. And they still have to support their families. Owing to the difficulty of getting jobs at home, they have been forced to seek employment abroad.

The lack of money to buy travel documents has again forced them to go to Malaysia by any possible means, as long as they can work in the neighboring country, where many plantations and other businesses are in need of labor.

This has lasted for years since 1985, with lots of Indonesian migrant workers (TKI) leaving for Malaysia and returning home, before the promulgation of Malaysia's immigration law. Some of the illegal TKI, however, created trouble in Malaysia, leading to the enforcement of the immigration law to maintain security and order.

In fact, labor recruitment companies are primarily responsible for the situation, because they have been granted special facilities but mostly are focussed on profit making instead of functioning according to official requirements. Consequently, a major problem is now truly emerging.

In order to surmount this manpower issue, the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration should formulate a concept, particularly the setting up of a workers' bank. Besides, other ministries should also contribute to its solution because unemployment has to be handled nationally.

For proper coordination, the Coordinating Minister of Public Welfare should proactively draw up a master plan with the assistance of relevant ministers, especially those dealing with TKI.

H. MARSOESI

Surabaya