Jacob regrets clash of RI workers in KL

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea said he regretted a clash between two rival groups of Indonesian workers in Malaysia over the weekend, adding that the incident indicated that something had gone wrong with the supply of workers sent to the neighboring country.

"We are very concerned about the incident. It's a very shameful act as it involves our workers, who are making money in another country. More of these incidents would likely prompt the Malaysian government not to accept Indonesian workers to work in that country," he said here on Monday.

A 48-year-old man was fatally slashed and several houses were set on fire after 350 workers armed with machetes from the islands of Flores and Madurese clashed in what police said was a dispute over a woman, in Gombak, North Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. All the workers were detained following the clash, but only 50 were interrogated by police.

There have been other incidents involving Indonesian workers in Johor and nearby Kuala Lumpur, in which several workers had been killed.

During the preliminary investigation, the police found that several workers employed in the construction sector did not have documents allowing them to stay and work in the country.

"That is proof that they entered Malaysia illegally, an immigration violation in which the government is powerless to do anything if they are punished," he said, adding that despite the violation, he had asked Director General for Overseas Employment I Gusti Made Arke to closely monitor the case.

Twelve other Indonesian workers are on death row in several prisons in that country for their involvement in murder and drug smuggling cases.

The minister has also asked his aides at the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration to tightly enforce the recent instructions that require labor recruitment agencies to make necessary preparations, including having applicants undergo aptitude tests and job training, before they are sent overseas.

"All job seekers are required to take an aptitude test conducted by the department of psychology at the University of Indonesia and to have a certificate in English and skills training. Those who fail to meet these requirements should not be allowed to work overseas," he said.

Yunus Yamani, a political observer, called on the government to seriously tackle the problems plaguing laborers and appoint more officials to stop crime and violence against Indonesian workers.

"The government should closely monitor the recruitment of workers and test their skills before they are sent overseas," he said.

Asked about the bilateral cooperation between the two countries on overseas employment, Nuwa Wea said both sides had yet to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the recruitment of Indonesian workers.

"Malaysia wants to directly come to Indonesia to conduct the recruitment but we have rejected that proposal because Indonesia is a sovereign country," he said.

The MOU was prepared following the expulsion of about 700,000 Indonesians working illegally in Malaysia and the enforcement of a strict immigration law in the country last year.