The Jakarta Post, 4 Sept 2008
JAKARTA: Some 100 Indonesian teachers assigned to educate children of Indonesian migrant workers in Sabah, Malaysia, urged the government to evaluate the sending of tutors to the palm oil hub, saying they often faced "problematic situations" and earned less than promised.
Khaerul Wajid from the Forum of Non-Permanent Teachers for the Education of Migrant Workers' Children in Sabah (FGTTS) on Tuesday said that while the teachers were seen off by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, National Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo and other senior ministry officials, ironically they faced abandonment in Malaysia and upon arrival back to Indonesia.
"We were supposed to receive Rp 6.03 million (US$658) per month, but were paid only Rp 4.94 million," Khaerul said.
FGTTS coordinator Tetep Saepul accused Sabah plantation firms and a Malaysian NGO managing schools for Indonesian migrant workers there of being inhumane.
Some plantations there have withheld pay from their Indonesian workers for years, while the NGO, which is supposed to be a non-profit organization, appeared to collect school fees from the workers' children, he said. -- JP
JAKARTA: Some 100 Indonesian teachers assigned to educate children of Indonesian migrant workers in Sabah, Malaysia, urged the government to evaluate the sending of tutors to the palm oil hub, saying they often faced "problematic situations" and earned less than promised.
Khaerul Wajid from the Forum of Non-Permanent Teachers for the Education of Migrant Workers' Children in Sabah (FGTTS) on Tuesday said that while the teachers were seen off by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, National Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo and other senior ministry officials, ironically they faced abandonment in Malaysia and upon arrival back to Indonesia.
"We were supposed to receive Rp 6.03 million (US$658) per month, but were paid only Rp 4.94 million," Khaerul said.
FGTTS coordinator Tetep Saepul accused Sabah plantation firms and a Malaysian NGO managing schools for Indonesian migrant workers there of being inhumane.
Some plantations there have withheld pay from their Indonesian workers for years, while the NGO, which is supposed to be a non-profit organization, appeared to collect school fees from the workers' children, he said. -- JP
