Manpower minister asked resign for failing to protect workers
Manpower minister asked resign for failing to protect workers
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The House of Representatives leadership demanded on Wednesday the
resignation of Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa
Wea for his failure to protect the country's migrant workers.
House Deputy Speaker Muhaimin Iskandar said the minister was
considered to be unable to cope with this issue, as shown by the
repeated cases of abuse against Indonesian workers overseas.
"The House leaders suggest that the minister resign if he
cannot prove he is capable of tackling these problems. The
President should replace him with a more qualified figure,"
Muhaimin said after a meeting of House leaders.
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung of Golkar presided over the
meeting, which also was attended by his deputies Tosari Widjaja
of the United Development Party (PPP) and Muhaimin of the
National Awakening Party (PKB).
The two other deputy speakers, Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and AM
Fatwa of the National Mandate Party (PAN), did not attend the
meeting.
Nuwa Wea is a former PDI Perjuangan legislator and still helms
the All-Indonesia Workers Union Federation (FSPSI).
The appointment and dismissal of Cabinet ministers is the
prerogative of the president, according to the Constitution.
During her 27-month term, President Megawati Soekarnoputri has
never heeded demands for the dismissal of an aide.
The meeting also recommended that the government halt the
export of women migrant workers.
The meeting followed a visit by Muhaimin to the Soekanto
Police Hospital in East Jakarta on Tuesday, where 15 female
migrant workers have been treated over the last two weeks since
their arrival home from the Middle East.
Some of the women said they were sexually abused and others
claimed to have been physically abused.
Muhaimin said the abuse of Indonesian workers overseas was a
disgrace to the whole nation.
"Sending more workers overseas is a reckless decision. The
government only seeks money from them without providing them
protection," he said.
The mistreatment of the 15 migrant workers sparked nationwide
criticism of the government, the most widespread outcry since
hundreds of thousands of undocumented Indonesian workers fled
Malaysia in August last year after Kuala Lumpur enacted a strict
immigration law.
Vice President Hamzah Haz defended the policy of exporting
migrant workers, saying the government was unable to provide them
with jobs at home.
"Although there have been some violations and abuse of
Indonesian workers, the benefits of sending workers overseas
outweigh the disadvantages," Hamzah said as quoted by Antara news
agency.
He said he had discussed the issue with visiting Saudi Arabian
Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Namlah in
Jakarta on Tuesday.
Al-Namlah expressed disappointment with the media coverage of
the abuse, saying only 400 of 330,000 Indonesian workers in Saudi
Arabia, or 0.12 percent, had reported incidents of serious abuse.