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