Immigration centers planned to deter illegal workers

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief says he is considering the establishment of immigration centers along Indonesian border points to help process Indonesians intending to work in Malaysia.

These "center points" would provide fast services for workers in obtaining their travel documents as well as the necessary work permits, Latief told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

He said these centers would be established in various places in North Sumatra, Riau and East Kalimantan, three provinces which have been used as a transit points for Indonesian workers to enter Malaysia illegally.

They will be jointly administered by his ministry, the Ministry of Transportation and the Directorate General of Immigration.

The proposal is the latest in the government's drive to clamp down on the illegal flow of Indonesian workers to Malaysia which has caused a major headache for the two governments.

There are currently some 400,000 Indonesian workers registered in Malaysia while estimates of the number of illegal workers reach as high as one million Indonesians.

"I would be content if we could cut down on the flow of Indonesian illegal immigrants to Malaysia by up to 70 percent," Latief said.

He conceded that the task of halting the illegal flux of Indonesian workers to Malaysia was a difficult one given the still high rate of unemployment and under-employment in Indonesia. "Besides, as long as the economic condition in Malaysia is better, then the issue of Indonesian illegal workers will continue to be around us."

The House of Representatives on Monday criticized the government for its poor handling of the illegal Indonesian workers in Malaysia and pointed out that many of these workers, because of their status, have become easy prey for exploitation.

The two countries have opted to regulate the flow of Indonesian workers to Malaysia, whose booming economy still relies on the presence of the supply of cheap laborers, including those from Indonesia.

On Monday, the issue was the topic of discussion between Latief and visiting Malaysian Minister for Rural Development Annuar Musa.

The two ministers agreed to better coordinate the flow of Indonesian workers to Malaysia.

Indonesia has appointed the state-owned PT Binajasa Abadi Karya (PT Bijak) to coordinate with other manpower supplier companies in supplying workers to Malaysia.

In Malaysia, Global Access has been appointed as the company to jointly manage the inflow of Indonesian workers. (rms).