RI sends foremen to Malaysia

RI sends foremen to Malaysia

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief on Monday said
farewell to 64 workers, most of whom will be employed as foremen
at various construction sites in Malaysia.

Their departure, arranged by the state-owned PT Bina Jasa
Tenaga Kerja (Bijak), marks a new departure for Indonesia in its
attempt to send more skilled workers abroad.

Without the desired skills, many Indonesians who seek work
abroad end up as domestic help, especially women, while most men
are hired as construction laborers.

The 64 men were the first "graduates" of the three-month
intensive course organized jointly by Latief's office and the
Ministry of Public Works.

Fifty will work as foremen at construction sites, 12 as
machinery operators and two as mechanics. Each will earn
US$1,000 (Rp 2.3 million) a month.

Latief said Bijak will soon dispatch another 166 certified
foremen to Malaysia and the Middle East.

Hundreds of graduates from senior technical schools are also
being groomed for similar jobs in the future, he added.

Latief said Indonesia is determined to phase out the sending
of unskilled workers abroad.

Last year Indonesia sent 450,000 workers abroad, 180,000 of
which were skilled workers with incomes ranging from $3,000 to
$12,000 a year.

Latief also inaugurated a management training course for
executives at 37 private companies which send Indonesian workers
abroad.

The course is run by the privately-owned Training Management
and Development Indonesia company owned by former central bank
governor Rachmat Saleh.

Poor management of the companies in the past has been blamed
for the problems that arise in sending Indonesian workers abroad.

There are currently 138 companies licensed to export workers
overseas. (rms)