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.