Sending of labor overseas to be limited

Sending of labor overseas to be limited

JAKARTA: The Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration is aiming
to limit the deployment of Indonesian workers overseas beginning
May 1, 2002, former chairman of the Association of Manpower
Recruitment Agencies (Apjati) Abdulla Umar said on Thursday.

"The quota system will strengthen existing system which
obliges prospective worker to provide US$200 as a deposit
guarantee," Abdulla quoted Minister of Manpower and
Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea as saying during a meeting here on
Wednesday.

Under the quota system, each Apjati member would be entitled
to send workers to two destination countries only, with a minimum
of 50 people per destination, Abdulla said.

There are currently 415 Apjati members.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Indonesian Labor Suppliers
(Samsataki) Yunus Yamani said on Thursday that the government
should ensure that Apjati members provide lawyers in destination
countries.

"How can we solve the problems of our migrant workers overseas
if we cannot provide them with legal advisors," Yunus said.

The issue of migrant workers working overseas has come to the
fore following the Malaysian government's decision to cut the
number of Indonesians working there. -- Antara