Indonesia and Malaysia discuss a new scheme for skilled migrant workers

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI), Mukhtarudin, met with senior officials from Malaysia’s Ministry of Human Resources (KSM) in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (21 May) to discuss transforming migrant worker placement to be skills-based. ‘We are preparing an upstream ecosystem by engaging the academic sector,’ Mukhtarudin said in a statement received in Jakarta on Friday. ‘Through this forum, our prospective workers will be trained and given new skills before they are officially placed.’ Mukhtarudin said the step was taken to ensure the human resources deployed to destination countries possess high competencies in line with global industry needs, especially in Malaysia. In addition to discussing skilled migrant worker placement, Mukhtarudin, in a meeting with Malaysia’s Minister of Human Resources Dato’ Sri Ramanan Ramakrishnan, also discussed optimising an integrated protection system to enhance protection for Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. Mukhtarudin outlined the implementation of Halo Migran, an Indonesian domestic platform designed to record all Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia, particularly those not registered in SISKOP2MI or those renewing their Working Agreement (PK). Mukhtarudin emphasised that the data collection process does not burden migrant workers or the Malaysian Government. ‘Documentation and social security costs are borne by the employer. The implementation is also carried out through the offices of the Indonesian Representational Offices (KBRI/KJRI), without creating new administrative obligations for the Malaysian Government,’ he said. Furthermore, Indonesia is pushing for renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be directed en masse toward the formal sector, which is believed to further improve protection quality and workers’ welfare. The meeting also produced concrete, mutually beneficial outcomes, with the Malaysian Government expressing support for the Halo Migran application as a positive step in better data management for workers. In the long term, the two countries agreed to form a Joint Working Group (JWG) or a Joint Task Force to map a long-term talent development roadmap, align competencies with Malaysia’s industry needs, and strengthen the protection system. Minister of Human Resources Dato’ Sri Ramanan Ramakrishnan underscored strategic support, welcoming Indonesia’s steps to modernise service delivery. To support these steps, the Malaysian delegation is scheduled to visit Jakarta soon to attend the Joint Working Group (JWG).