ID :
34328
Sat, 12/06/2008 - 21:28
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PJTKI: INDONESIAN MIGRANT WORKERS' EMPLOYMENT IN SAUDI THREATENED
Jakarta, Dec 5 (ANTARA) - Indonesian migrant workers' employment in Saudi Arabia is threatened following a letter from the Saudi embassy here to migrant workers' suppliers (PJTKI) telling that they are obliged to sign a master agreement prepared by Sanarcom.
The statement came from the chairman of the association of migrant workers' suppliers (Himsataki), Yunus M Yamani, acting director general of supervision and overseas employement of workers of the ministry of manpower, I Gusti Made Arka, deputy general chairman of Apjati (the association of Indonesian migrant workers' suppliers), Rusdi Basalamah, and the head of Apjati's Middle East Division, Saleh Sami, on Friday.
Yunus said all PJTKIs confessed they had received the letter from the Saudi embassy signed by its consuler department head.
He said the letter informed about a new regulation obliging PJTKIs and foreign workers suppliers (PJTKA) in Saudi to sign the master agreement as of January 2009.
"If PJTKIs refuse to sign it, unilaterally made by Sanarcom (the association of Saudi foreign workers' suppliers) the Saudi embassy will refuse to give a passport service to the Indonesian workers they will send to Saudi," he said.
Yunus said the agreement was made unilaterally and without the involvement of at least three PJTKI associations in Indonesia.
"Sanarcom also offers the master agreement to other countries such as the Philippines but it is also rejected," he said.
He asked the Indonesian government to give a response to the letter because he considered it was unusual for the embassy to send a letter to all PJTKIs on behalf of Sanarcom.
He said "the Indonesian workers' overseas employment program is regulated under Law Number 39 of 2004 and other regulations so foreign institutions had better not meddle in the country's affairs in protecting its citizens abroad."
He said one of the government's ways of protecting its workers was obliging users to legalize their contract agreement with the workers at the Indonesian embassy or the nearest Indonesian consulate general in Saudi.
In connection with the Saudi embassy' threat Yunus said he considered it a unilateral effort by the Saudi government to halt Indonesian migrant workers' employment in that country.
In view of that he suggested that the Indonesian government responded it by keeping the legalization clause. "Unless it is adhered to the government must halt employment of Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi," he said.
Past efforts
Yunus said Sanarcom had long tried to eradicate the legalization clause. "Its omission will give freedom to employers and PJTKAs in Saudi to be irresponsible for problems Indonesian migrant workers may face such as unpaid wages, cases of torture, rape, abuses and others," he said.
Under the legalization clause he said if employers deny their responsibility the Indonesian embassy or consulate may blacklist them and the supplying agencies concerned.
Rusdi meanwhile said that the master agreement was harmful, adding if the worst case was the closure of the PJTKIs it would be better if the Indonesian government halted employment of its workers to Saudi Arabia rather than the PJTKIs being accused of conducting human trafficking.
Saleh Sami had already issued an appeal to Apjati members to not sign the master agreement.
He said there had already been a meeting between the Apjati, Sanarcom and an embassy representative regarding the issue. "In principle it is open for revision," he said.
I Gusti Made Arka meanwhile said that every agreement affecting Indonesian workers' abroad must be approved by the foreign ministry.
He said the foreign ministry was the office most responsible for protecting the Indonesian citizens and Indonesian legal entities abroad and therefore any agreement to that effect be it a private to private and more over G to G had to be approved by the ministry.
Regarding the Sanarcom's plan he said he did not know about it and had received no letter about it from any organization or the Saudi embassy and therefore "we cannot give any response to it."
He however reminded that workers' protection was the Indonesian government's main concern which, in that respect, was manifested in the legalization clause among others.***4***
T.E007
The statement came from the chairman of the association of migrant workers' suppliers (Himsataki), Yunus M Yamani, acting director general of supervision and overseas employement of workers of the ministry of manpower, I Gusti Made Arka, deputy general chairman of Apjati (the association of Indonesian migrant workers' suppliers), Rusdi Basalamah, and the head of Apjati's Middle East Division, Saleh Sami, on Friday.
Yunus said all PJTKIs confessed they had received the letter from the Saudi embassy signed by its consuler department head.
He said the letter informed about a new regulation obliging PJTKIs and foreign workers suppliers (PJTKA) in Saudi to sign the master agreement as of January 2009.
"If PJTKIs refuse to sign it, unilaterally made by Sanarcom (the association of Saudi foreign workers' suppliers) the Saudi embassy will refuse to give a passport service to the Indonesian workers they will send to Saudi," he said.
Yunus said the agreement was made unilaterally and without the involvement of at least three PJTKI associations in Indonesia.
"Sanarcom also offers the master agreement to other countries such as the Philippines but it is also rejected," he said.
He asked the Indonesian government to give a response to the letter because he considered it was unusual for the embassy to send a letter to all PJTKIs on behalf of Sanarcom.
He said "the Indonesian workers' overseas employment program is regulated under Law Number 39 of 2004 and other regulations so foreign institutions had better not meddle in the country's affairs in protecting its citizens abroad."
He said one of the government's ways of protecting its workers was obliging users to legalize their contract agreement with the workers at the Indonesian embassy or the nearest Indonesian consulate general in Saudi.
In connection with the Saudi embassy' threat Yunus said he considered it a unilateral effort by the Saudi government to halt Indonesian migrant workers' employment in that country.
In view of that he suggested that the Indonesian government responded it by keeping the legalization clause. "Unless it is adhered to the government must halt employment of Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi," he said.
Past efforts
Yunus said Sanarcom had long tried to eradicate the legalization clause. "Its omission will give freedom to employers and PJTKAs in Saudi to be irresponsible for problems Indonesian migrant workers may face such as unpaid wages, cases of torture, rape, abuses and others," he said.
Under the legalization clause he said if employers deny their responsibility the Indonesian embassy or consulate may blacklist them and the supplying agencies concerned.
Rusdi meanwhile said that the master agreement was harmful, adding if the worst case was the closure of the PJTKIs it would be better if the Indonesian government halted employment of its workers to Saudi Arabia rather than the PJTKIs being accused of conducting human trafficking.
Saleh Sami had already issued an appeal to Apjati members to not sign the master agreement.
He said there had already been a meeting between the Apjati, Sanarcom and an embassy representative regarding the issue. "In principle it is open for revision," he said.
I Gusti Made Arka meanwhile said that every agreement affecting Indonesian workers' abroad must be approved by the foreign ministry.
He said the foreign ministry was the office most responsible for protecting the Indonesian citizens and Indonesian legal entities abroad and therefore any agreement to that effect be it a private to private and more over G to G had to be approved by the ministry.
Regarding the Sanarcom's plan he said he did not know about it and had received no letter about it from any organization or the Saudi embassy and therefore "we cannot give any response to it."
He however reminded that workers' protection was the Indonesian government's main concern which, in that respect, was manifested in the legalization clause among others.***4***
T.E007
