Raid to target maids, nannies

The City Population Agency will launch a two-week raid a week before and a week after the Idul Fitri holidays, targeting in- house maids, nannies and private company workers who do not possess Jakarta or newcomer identity cards.

"Unlike previous raids, in these raids employers and companies who employ new workers without Jakarta or Newcomer ID cards will face legal sanctions," agency head Sylviana Murni told The Jakarta Post and Antara at City Hall on Monday.

Article 3 of Bylaw No. 4/2004 on population and civil registration requires employers and legal bodies to report all their employees resident in Jakarta to the agency.

Those found to have violated the bylaw will face a maximum sentence of three month's jail or a Rp 5 million (US$549.45) fine.

"Employers or companies must pay for the fines if the workers cannot afford them," Sylviana said.

She said nannies and housemaid agencies must obtain Newcomer ID cards, formerly known as seasonal ID cards, issued by the agency.

"We hope this effort will be "shock therapy" for employers, encouraging them to abide with the bylaw on population and civil registration."

However, Sylviana, who will be replaced on Tuesday, said the bylaw would not be fully implemented until the issuing of a gubernatorial decree. -- JP