Soeharto tells embassies to protect RI workers
Soeharto tells embassies to protect RI workers
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto called on all Indonesian embassies yesterday to protect Indonesian workers abroad and to extend assistance whenever required.
Opening a national working conference organized by the Ministry of Manpower, Soeharto said the ministry as well as the Indonesian embassies abroad should pay greater attention to the condition of Indonesian workers overseas.
"I am asking (you) to pay more attention to the fate of Indonesian workers by continually monitoring their condition and giving help whenever they are in trouble," he said in keynote address at the opening ceremony at the State Palace.
As the number of Indonesians seeking employment overseas grows, there are now concerns about their condition and their lack of protection in the countries where they reside.
At the last official count, there were an estimated 700,000 Indonesians working overseas, with Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Singapore among the most popular destinations.
There have been reports of Indonesian workers abroad being exploited by their employers. The low skill and education background of the majority of Indonesian workers have made them easy prey for exploitation.
Last year, an Indonesian woman worker employed as a domestic helper in Singapore died. Police said she committed suicide but her family in Indonesia remains unconvinced. Early this year, two Indonesian workers were beheaded in Saudi Arabia after they were found guilty of killing their Arab employer.
On both occasions, concerns were raised about the degree of help that the Indonesian embassies in the two countries provided.
Soeharto stressed the importance of Indonesia continuing with the program of sending workers abroad to help alleviate the high unemployment problem at home.
But he said that Indonesia should send only skilled workers because the nation's image is at stake.
"All this requires good planning," he added.
Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief early this week announced his plan to summon a number of Indonesian ambassadors to Jakarta to discuss ways of enhancing their protection.
Soeharto said in his speech that one of the biggest problems Indonesia faces is providing employment for its ever-growing ranks of workers.
Officials estimate that each year, more than two million new job seekers join the labor market.
"I hope the national manpower planning and the integrated labor information data base which are now being developed by the government will be completed soon," Soeharto said, adding that these are expected to help reduce unemployment.
He called for greater coordination between government agencies in tackling the unemployment problem.
Officially the level of unemployment is estimated at around three percent of the work force. Officials acknowledge, however, that the actual level could be as high as 30 percent.(rms)