West Bandung Manpower Office handles 16 troubled migrant workers abroad
The West Bandung Regency Manpower and Transmigration Office (Disnakertrans) in West Java is handling 16 Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) from the region who have encountered problems abroad.
“This year there are 16 reports of troubled migrant workers that we are handling. They reported to us because they experienced problems and want to be repatriated,” said Dewi Andani, Head of Training, Productivity, Labour Placement and Transmigration at the West Bandung Disnakertrans, in West Bandung on Thursday.
She said the migrant workers were employed in a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, Libya, Hong Kong, Dubai, Cambodia, Malaysia, Turkey and Taiwan.
According to Dewi, the workers departed through non-procedural channels and therefore faced various problems while working abroad, including sexual harassment, unpaid wages from employers, and illness.
The government, through the West Bandung Disnakertrans, is also facilitating the repatriation of the bodies of deceased migrant workers to their home regions, including five people who died from illness.
“Five people died. Those who died were due to illness and their return was facilitated, so the state remains present,” she said.
Dewi said non-procedural departures are still chosen because they are considered faster, easier and have fewer requirements compared to official procedures.
Economic factors, limited information, the influence of brokers or sponsors, and invitations from family or relatives abroad are also reasons people choose this route to work as migrant workers.
“People choose the non-procedural route because it is considered faster, easier and has fewer requirements. In addition, economic factors, limited information, the influence of brokers or sponsors, and invitations from family or relative networks abroad are also quite common, but that is wrong and carries high risk,” she said.
The West Bandung Disnakertrans is urging residents who wish to work abroad to use official channels in order to obtain protection and avoid various risks while working as migrant workers.