STOPPING THE SENDING OF MIGRANT WORKERS OVERSEAS IS NO SOLUTION

Semarang, C Java, June 22 (ANTARA) -The Indonesian government's plan to temporarily stop the sending of Indonesian workers to Malaysia for employment in the informal sector is no effective and lasting solution to their rough treatment.

The statement was made by Coordinator of the Legal Resources Center, Justice and Human Rights, Semarang chapter, Evarisan here on Sunday.

"They had to seek overseas employment, because it has become so difficult to secure a suitable job at home. As domestic helpers in Indonesia they received Rp 400,000 per month, but overseas they anjoy a salary of up to Rp 1.2 million," he said.

He added that the high frequency of the maltreatment of Indonesian domestic helpers overseas was an indication that the government lacked a concept on their protection.

He said that actually there is the Law No 19 of 2004 on the placement of Indonesian workers overseas, but this law is effective at home only.

Indonesia and Malaysia had reached a memorandum of understanding (MoU), but some of the stipulations are unfavorable to Indonesian migrant workers, such as their passports are held by their employers. Consequently if a migrant worker managed to escape from her employer's home, she will be declared illegal.

Therefore the MoU needs to be revised, he said, while wondering why the Indonesian government still has not ratified the UN Convention of 1990 on the protection of migrant workers and their families.