Workers continue to go to Malaysia

Workers continue to go to Malaysia

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: Despite Malaysia's decision to
sharply reduce the number of Indonesian workers, South Sumatra
continues to send laborers to the neighboring country, a
provincial manpower official said.

Some 85 male and 69 female workers left South Sumatra to work
in Malaysia last month, said Surya Darma, chief of the South
Sumatra manpower office, on Thursday.

He said many Malaysian businessmen preferred to employ workers
from South Sumatra as, although unskilled, they were known to be
diligent and disciplined.

South Sumatrans wishing to work in Malaysia are required to
undergo a strict selection process and therefore none of them had
ever been repatriated from Malaysia because of discipline
problems or incompetence, he said.

Surya hoped the sending of workers to Malaysia through
official channels could continue without hindrance so as to help
lower the high rate of unemployment in South Sumatra. -- Antara