National News - September 04, 2007
Violence against Indonesian workers overseas will likely continue with the government unable to prevent workers from going abroad and so far failing to train them at home, a House commission has heard.
Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Erman Suparno told a hearing with the House of Representatives' labor commission here Monday that the increasing abuse of Indonesian workers overseas had a lot to do with the low quality of education and training in the country.
"The education system does not match the labor market demand and the world of work, so many (Indonesian) workers receive inhumane treatment in their workplaces," he said.
Erman's comments came in response to concern from commission members over recent cases of violence against Indonesians working in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.
In response to calls from commission members to temporarily halt the export of Indonesian labor, Erman said: "The government can't prevent workers from working overseas because it is against the 1945 Constitution and the 2004 labor placement and protection law."
Two workers died and two others suffered serious injuries in Saudi Arabia recently after they were allegedly beaten in early August by relatives of their employer, who accused them of practicing black magic on his ailing son.
The bodies of the two dead have not been returned home, while the two wounded have reportedly gone missing from the hospital where they were receiving treatment under the supervision of the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh.
A government team has gone to Saudi Arabia to bring both the living and the dead workers back to Indonesia.
In Malaysia, two other workers escaped from their employers' apartments last month, saying they could no longer endure the abuse meted out to them.
Erman said the workers employed as housemaids in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia were not protected by the labor law. He said that they were instead covered by the home affairs law since they were considered part of their employers' families.
"But, we should also bear in mind that their departure abroad was unpreventable because of poverty and unemployment problems at home, with many of them resorting to illegal procedure in order to work overseas," he said.
Erman called on regional heads nationwide to take the initiative to prevent uneducated and unskilled workers from leaving overseas, saying they were the most prone to abuse, exploitation and trafficking.
He said decentralization of government had weakened the central government's ability to prevent these workers from traveling abroad.
Commission members also called on the government to take harsh actions against anyone involved in illegally smuggling workers overseas.
"Besides ensuring workers' skills and competence in foreign languages, the government has to provide protection for troubled workers and the necessary facilities upon their arrival home," commission chairwoman Ribka Tjiptaning said.
Erman said he had already revoked the operating licenses of 107 labor supply companies and dismissed seven ministry staff for improperly using their positions.
Ridwan Max Sijabat
