Local govt to fund workers' return

Local govt to fund workers' return

PEKANBARU, Riau: In the future, local administrations will
have to bear part of the cost of repatriating illegal workers
deported by the Malaysian government.

The new scheme was formulated during a coordinating meeting
here recently. Among those attending the meeting were Minister of
Home Affairs Surjadi Soedirdja, Minister of Manpower and
Transmigration Al Hilal Hamdi and Indonesia's Ambassador to
Malaysia Hadi Wayarabi.

"We sat down together and formulated that the cost of
repatriating laborers would be shouldered by the respective
regions," Surjadi said as quoted by Antara.

Two methods were agreed to. For laborers deported by the
Malaysian government directly to their hometowns, the cost will
be covered by the respective local administration and the
Malaysian government.

However, there was no specific breakdown of the percentage
each side would have to bear. (mds)