Indonesia, Saudi Arabia sign labor agreement

Indonesia, Saudi Arabia sign labor agreement

By Erafzon Saptiyulda and Benny S Butarbutar

JAKARTA (Antara): The signing, for the first time, of minutes
of a meeting on manpower affairs relating to the welfare and
legal certainty of Indonesian migrant laborers has marked a new
chapter in the relationship between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

"This agreement is expected to facilitate the settlement of
manpower-related problems, particularly regarding Indonesian
migrant laborers, that the two countries may face in the future,"
Saudi Arabia's envoy to Indonesia, Abdullah Abdul Rahman Alim,
said here in a ceremony marking the signing of the minutes of the
meeting held two weeks ago.

Frequently, cases involving Indonesian migrant workers have
become complicated problems, not only for the job seekers but
also the government.

It is very hard for both the Indonesian government and
Indonesian migrant workers to obtain legal certainty in solving
migrant labor-related problems, particularly in rape and torture
cases. Nevertheless, stories about the harrowing experiences that
some Indonesian migrant workers have gone through do not usually
discourage thousands of Indonesians from seeking employment
abroad to improve their lot at home.

The relationship between the two countries slightly soured
following the decision made by the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh
and Indonesia's consulate-general in Jeddah that required Saudi
Arabian employers to provide Indonesian parties with details of
their identity along with that of the members of their family
plus the address and a plan of their house. "The Saudi Arabians
were offended by this requirement, which they thought encroached
upon their privacy," manpower and resettlement minister Jacob
Nuwa Wea, said.

To ensure that bilateral relations run well, the newly signed
minutes of the meeting have annulled the above decision in an
attempt to help Indonesian migrant workers file lawsuits if they
encounter problems with their employers.

In return for this annulment, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in
Jakarta will, on a weekly basis, furnish information to the
manpower and resettlement ministry about visas, the names of
Indonesian labor recruiting companies and the names of the
employers in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, quoting from the Holy Koran that all men are equal
before the law, the Saudi Arabian envoy guaranteed, in the
signing ceremony, that the Saudi Arabian government would ensure
that Indonesian migrant workers and their employers stood equal
before the law. He also asked the Indonesian side to tell
Indonesian migrant workers in his country and prospective migrant
laborers to report to the local police if they were improperly
treated by their employer.

In response, Nua Wea expressed warm appreciation for the
commitment given by the Saudi Arabian government. He hoped that
in future the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh and the consulate-
general would no longer have to settle migrant worker-related
cases through compromises that disadvantaged the Indonesians.

Legal protection

The agreement, which will take effect as of Sept. 24, 2001,
states that both countries will create more job opportunities,
improve job quality and give legal protection to Indonesian
workers, pursuant to the prevailing laws of Saudi Arabia and
Indonesia.

In addition, it has also been agreed that each worker has to
pay a recruitment fee of US$700 for training, medical and
administration expenses.

Another important point in the agreement is that Indonesian
labor recruiting companies can directly deal with their partners
in Saudi Arabia without going through any brokering agencies.

Both parties have agreed that all visas applied for by labor
exporting companies (PJTKI) must be approved by the Department of
Labor and Transmigration. They have also agreed to form a
coordinating team comprising Saudi Arabia's charge d'affaires,
head of consulate, director general of labor recruitment and
associated head of overseas Indonesian labor placement regularly
to discuss matters that may arise during their service in Saudi
Arabia.

Labor observer, Yunus Yamani, told Antara that he welcomed the
deal, saying that the agreement would produce fresh hope about
law enforcement, improve the welfare of workers as well as give
protection for all Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia. He also
hoped that all parties involved would honor the agreement.

"The most important point is the consistency of both parties
to abide by the existing regulations and the penalising of those
that breach it," Yunus told Antara. As he still saw slack law
enforcement in Indonesia, he appealed that the Ministry of
Manpower monitor its staff and sternly punish those found guilty.

In the meantime, Nuwa Wea hoped that the agreement would serve
as a model for other Middle East countries. He recently met with
seven ambassadors from Middle East countries to discuss the
possibility of drawing up similar deals with them.