Malaysia says it still needs 160,000 Indonesian workers

JAKARTA (JP): Despite the involvement of Indonesians in a recent antigovernment protest in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia still needs more than 160,000 Indonesian workers for its plantations and palm oil refineries, an official said here on Monday.

The director general of labor placement at the Ministry of Manpower, Din Syamsuddin, said Malaysia recently allocated an employment opportunity quota of more than 160,000 workers from Indonesia and was ready to pay for their transportation to the country.

"This is a golden opportunity for Indonesia which is facing the economic crisis and the high unemployment rate."

He said the government would continue to encourage labor export companies to recruit job seekers and those who have lost their jobs to the economic crisis for employment in Malaysia.

Din, who recently visited Kuala Lumpur, said the workers would be immediately employed in plantations and palm oil processing factories at a monthly minimum wage of about 500 ringgit (Rp 400,000).

The workers will receive a three-year work contract with the plantation and factory owners, he added.

Din's remarks came at around the same time the warship KRI Tanjung Oisina arrived at the Tanjung Priok seaport in North Jakarta carrying 1,217 Indonesian workers sent home from Malaysia.

Some of the workers were repatriated for illegally entering the country while others returned after their working contracts terminated. Some of them claimed to have paid for 500 Malaysian ringgit for the transportation.

Also on Monday, Din acknowledged that three Indonesian workers were involved in an antigovernment demonstration in Kuala Lumpur last week which drew condemnation from Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad.

Mahathir did not disclose what actions would be taken against the Indonesian workers.

Din also said that about 7,000 Indonesians in detention camps for entering the country illegally would be granted amnesty in line with the 41st anniversary of Malaysian Independence Day. They will be repatriated to Indonesia by the end of this month.

"But illegal workers who enter the country after this month will be arrested and be punished in accordance with Malaysia's immigration law."

Din said there were still about 50,000 illegal Indonesian workers, part of an estimated 250,000 workers Kuala Lumpur is seeking to deport.

The Ministry of Manpower has cooperated with the Indonesian Navy to transport illegal Indonesian workers home. (rms)