Migrant workers' test burdensome

Migrant workers' test burdensome

From Republika

I am interested in working in the Middle East but am disappointed to learn that there are too many time-consuming regulations and procedures that I have to fulfill. While these regulations and procedures were originally intended to protect a migrant worker abroad, it is a fact they are manipulated to extort money from would-be migrant workers. A worker's competency test is but one example.

Why hasn't the government paid enough attention to us would-be migrant workers that are trying to get out of poverty by trying our luck abroad. Many of us have had to sell our property or get high-interest loans just to be able to work overseas. Why must we take a psychology test, which is usually intended for the white- collar workers? Why must we take an Arabic language test that is given through a poor-quality cassette? It must be remembered that we will work in the Middle East as domestic help. Perhaps the manpower minister should remember that most of us have got only an elementary school education.

If we fail the test, we have to wait for another one to three months at the Work Training Centers and will certainly have to spend more money. When we take our tests, some officials extort us, making us cash cows even before we leave the country.

We hope the manpower minister and officials of his ministry improve the situation within as short a time as possible. Do not let us be cash cows as we are indeed living in poverty. The policy issued by the manpower ministry unfavorably affects our lives, not the labor-exporting companies or the Middle East countries.

MAS ULLAH Batang, Central Java