Minister Mukhtarudin Calls for Cross-Sector Collaboration to Protect Indonesian Migrant Workers

Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI) Mukhtarudin has emphasised the need for strengthened cross-sector collaboration to protect Indonesian migrant workers and their families. He made the statement during the signing of a cooperation agreement and kick-off event involving the Ministry of Law, the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KPPPA), and the Australian government through the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Justice Phase 3 (AIPJ3). “This great nation cannot be managed by one ministry alone. Collaboration across ministries is needed to optimise the implementation of government programmes, particularly the President’s Asta Cita missions,” Mukhtarudin said. He noted that the cooperation is a strategic step to strengthen the protection system for prospective migrant workers, current migrant workers, and their families. This protection extends beyond employment aspects to include legal reinforcement, the protection of women and children, and human resource capacity building. Mukhtarudin highlighted that the formation of the Ministry of P2MI itself demonstrates President Prabowo Subianto’s seriousness in improving the governance of migrant worker protection by transforming the former agency into a full ministry. He outlined two main presidential mandates: improving the quality of protection for migrant workers from pre-placement through to their return home, and optimising the placement of medium-skilled and high-skilled workers in formal sectors. The government targets preparing 500,000 skilled prospective migrant workers for formal and professional sectors in destination countries under the 2026-2029 Presidential Directive. The scope of the newly signed agreement includes legal guidance and protection for migrant workers, strengthening Legal Aid Posts (Posbakum), and empowering these posts to support the ‘Desa Migran Emas’ (Educated, Advanced, Safe, and Prosperous Migrant Villages) programme. It also covers coordination on citizenship status for migrant workers and their families, as well as human resource competency development. A key concern addressed is the issue of statelessness among children of migrant workers due to complex citizenship laws in various countries. Mukhtarudin stressed the need for legal breakthroughs to ensure these children’s rights to education, care, and legal identity are fulfilled. The initiative, supported by the Australian government through AIPJ3, will run until the end of 2027 and includes training for law enforcement officials, paralegals, and legal aid providers at the village and sub-district levels. The training focuses on placing victims at the centre of the judicial process and improving synergy among stakeholders in implementing new criminal procedure codes and handling cases of sexual violence, migrant worker protection violations, and human trafficking.