Pact signed to protect RI's workers in Malaysia
Pact signed to protect RI's workers in Malaysia
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Malaysia signed yesterday an
agreement on recruitment of Indonesian workers to be employed in
plantations in Malaysia.
The memorandum of agreement was signed by president of the
state-owned PT Binajasa Abadi Karya (PT Bijak) Suramsihono and
Director of the Malaysian employment agency Global Access SDN.
BHD., Ahmad Apandi Johan, and was witnessed by Minister of
Manpower Abdul Latief and Malaysian Minister for Rural
Development Dato Annuar Musa.
Under the agreement, PT Bijak is named coordinator of local
manpower supplier companies to recruit and supply Indonesian
workers for all plantations in Malaysia, with Global Access its
partner in Malaysia.
Latief said that PT Bijak will develop its partnership with
Global Access and local manpower supplier companies in supplying
Indonesian workers to Malaysia.
"PT Bijak should also pay attention to improving the quality
of workers to be sent and ensure legal protection during their
stays in Malaysia because this agreement aims at eventually
protecting our workers' rights," he said.
Annuar Musa said that through such a cooperation scheme, the
Malaysian government wanted to enhance ties with Indonesia.
"We hope that this agreement will enhance cooperation not only
between the two governments but also between their peoples and
businessmen," he said.
He said Malaysia preferred importing and employing Indonesian
workers to those from other countries because of the two
countries' close socio-cultural backgrounds.
"The similarities in language, religion and culture are why
Malaysia prefers employing Indonesian workers while their quality
is relatively good compared to other countries' workers," he
said.
He said the appointment of the two companies to supply workers
from Indonesia to Malaysia was aimed at fighting labor smuggling
to that country.
"We do not need illegal workers and we do not want them to be
unfairly treated because they come to Malaysia to make money."
Data at the Ministry of Manpower shows that the number of
Indonesian workers in Malaysia has reached 350,000, while more
have entered that country illegally in search of employment. They
are employed in plantations, construction projects, manufacturing
industries and golf courses. Many work as housemaids.
Suramsihono said that PT Bijak would work with several other
manpower supplier companies to recruit and send over 3,000
workers to the neighboring country in the near future.
"Malaysia needs over 3,000 Indonesian workers up to next month
and around 17,000 in the next two years," he said, adding that PT
Bijak itself could not meet this demand.
He said PT Bijak and Global Access would set a monthly minimum
wage for Indonesian workers employed in the Malaysian plantation
sector.
Before PT Bijak, a number of local companies grouped in the
Association of Indonesian Companies Supplying Workers to Malaysia
and Singapore (KINAS) have been supplying workers to Malaysia.
Besides, many Malaysian employment agencies have come to
Indonesia to recruit directly from rural areas in Central and
East Java. (rms)