Standards needed before liberalizing ASEAN labor markets

Standards needed before liberalizing ASEAN labor markets

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara

Ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) apparently will not liberalize their labor market
in the immediate future, due to their different working
conditions and the absence of a regional standard for competence.

"The liberalization of the labor market is entrusted to each
member country, and no member country can force others to open
their labor markets, as it depends on the laws in their countries
and the quality of their human resources," Jacob Nuwa Wea,
chairman of the ASEAN Labor Ministerial Meeting (ALMM), said
during a press conference at the close of the two-day meeting
here on Friday.

Nuwa Wea, also the manpower minister, explained that the issue
of labor market liberalization was discussed intensely during the
three-day ASEAN Senior Labor Officials Meeting (SLOM) and the
ALMM, but it was unlikely to result in a free labor market
immediately.

Malaysian Deputy Minister of Labor Abdul Latiff Ahmad
concurred and said Malaysia principally supported the
liberalization of the labor market in the region, but it was
unlikely to do so at present because of the differing labor
condition and quality of human resources of the member countries.

"To liberalize the labor market in the ASEAN region, a
standard labor competence for all kinds of jobs is needed, and
all ASEAN member countries should adopt a mutual recognition of
certified labor skills that are regionally accepted.

"But, we have to accept the fact that there are still
different standards of skill and expertise in the respective
countries. We need a further discussion on it, so that the issue
(labor market liberalization) will benefit all member countries
and their workers," he said.

He noted that ASEAN could not adopt the same strategy as the
European Union in liberalizing the labor market, because the
quality of workers among ASEAN countries varied greatly.

ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong said it was difficult at
present to allow workers to move freely in the region because
liberalizing the labor market required a regional standard of
skill and professionalism.

"ASEAN has to take appropriate measures to handle this crucial
issue, and it is important for us to find a good balance to
create jobs for all people with regulations, as well as to set
labor standards," he said, saying that it would be very difficult
to set standards of competence for unskilled workers.

Nuwa Wea said that all delegations agreed to seek Australia's
assistance to study the possibility of setting a standard of
competence for all jobs, to allow workers to freely move from one
country to another in the region.

ASEAN has already successfully liberalized its trade markets,
beginning in January of this year.

The grouping, however, has not yet touched the service
sectors, which are still being worked out under the ASEAN
Framework Agreement on Services, which also covers labor issues.

Indonesia and the Philippines, the two main exporters of
workers in the region, are the strongest advocates of the
liberalization of the region's labor markets.

Indonesian workers have flooded into Malaysia to work in the
plantation and construction sectors, as well as to work as
domestic helpers. Many Indonesians also work in Singapore as
maids.

The ASEAN labor ministers also agreed that their senior
officials should hold a special meeting in the Philippines soon
to take necessary measures to combat the Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS) that has plagued the region, as well as to
mitigate its toll on the regional population and economy.

The ministers also emphasized the importance of exchanging
experience and information in controlling and containing the
disease's spread in the region, saying that comprehensive and
stringent measures by affected ASEAN member countries were
necessary to prevent a possible adverse impact on workers and the
labor condition.

Nuwa Wea said that the special meeting was expected to provide
information on SARS to ministerial-level task forces and various
national focal points, which would organize the meeting and take
appropriate action.

Philippine's Minister of Labor Patricia A. Sto. Thomas
confirmed after the meeting that she accepted ALMM's request for
the Philippine government to host the meeting and the special
senior official meeting would likely be held on June 23 in
Manila.