Migrants curse government's negligence

JAKARTA (JP): The Hongkong-based Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (IMWU) criticized on Tuesday the government's negligence in protecting Indonesian workers overseas and demanded that it establish labor protection laws and regulations.

Union representative Sri Bintarti said the government could not remain silent about the rising problems facing migrant workers in Hongkong and other countries.

"Some of us in Hongkong are unfortunate enough to deal with dishonest agents and heartless employers, but we can't do anything out there because government help is impossible to access," Sri told The Jakarta Post over the phone on Tuesday.

Compared to their Filipino counterparts, Indonesian workers lag far behind, she said.

"The Philippine government, through its consulate, has arranged everything for the workers, including conditions that have to be met by the prospective employers. They are given two days off, so they only work five days a week," she said.

Filipinos are paid an average HK$3,670 (Rp 5.1 million) per month for a five-day week while Indonesians are paid between HK$ 1,800 (Rp 2.5 million) and $2,000 (Rp 2.8 million) per month for a six-day working week.

"Worse off are workers who cannot speak English or Cantonese, who easily fall prey to deceit. Often, when they arrive at Hongkong airport, they are forced to sign a document stating that they are paid according to the local minimum basic salary, although they actually receive less than that," Sri said.

Sri said that the Indonesian workers had 10 percent of their salaries deducted for the first seven months and given to their agents, who usually refuse to be held responsible for anything that happens following their placement.

Most of the Indonesian workers, Sri said, have reported their problems to the local Hongkong labor department which she described as "very accommodative".

"But why doesn't our country have an attache there, despite the fact that many of our citizens are taking on communication difficulties?" she said.

There were 57,327 Indonesian migrant workers registered in Hongkong as of February 2001, with at least 48 percent of them being underpaid.

Data from the manpower and transmigration ministry revealed that between Jan. 1, 1999 and Jan. 19, 2001, a total of 875,301 people worked as migrant workers in several countries, mostly in the Middle East. (emf)