Workers find jobs in West Malaysia

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Labor export company PT Indosima Mahkota Indah has received an order from West Malaysia for at least 4,000 Indonesian workers from West Nusa Tenggara province.

"Since June, we have already sent 2,000 workers to West Malaysia," head of the company's office here, I Putu Ersan Sugiartha, said yesterday.

The workers, mostly from Lombok island, have been given two- year contracts to work on oil palm estates, he said, adding that there was a preference for workers from Lombok in West Malaysia because they were considered to be hardworking, tough and undemanding.

Antara reported that the workers would be paid a daily rate of 15 Malaysian ringgit (US$3.5) during a three-month probation period, which would later be raised to between 50 and 75 Malaysian ringgit a day.