Stop sending domestic helpers pending MOU revision: Agency

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 06/11/2009 3:26 PM  |  National

The government will ask all agents to stop sending domestic helpers to Malaysia pending revision of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on protection of migrant workers signed by Indonesia and Malaysia in 2006, Antara news agency reported Thursday.

Chairman of the National Agency for the Placement and Protection of Overseas Labor (BNP2TKI) Jumhur Hidayat said his office would officially recommend a one-month suspension to Transmigration and Manpower Minister Erman Suparno and Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda.

“This effort is important to accelerate revision of the MOU,” Jumhur said.

Around 2,000 domestic helpers are sent to Malaysia every month.

Jumhur said the government would revise the existing recruitment process, which allows individuals to employ domestic helpers.

“There are many Indonesian domestic helpers working in Malaysia without the help of agents and who have no working contracts. They enter the country using visitor's visa, then employers will arrange permission for them to work there,” he said.

Jumhur said his office would urge all employers to give the domestic helpers one day off a week, and raise their salaries.

Both countries agreed to revise the MOU last year, but no meetings have been arranged to negotiate the changes so far. Indonesia has been pushing for the revision amidst widespread protests against weak protection for domestic helpers working overseas. (ewd)
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Basri Razak (not verified) — Thu, 06/11/2009 - 7:12pm

Indonesia should not be over reacted with regards to Siti Hajar case. Although there have been few cases but the issue should not be blown out of proportion. This is an isolated case when we look at the number of Indonesian workers who are already in Malaysia. There is not even one country in the world that can accommodate such a huge numbers of Indonesian workers other than Malaysia.
I used to work and live in Kuala Lumpur and my opinion the acceptance level of Malaysians towards fellow Indonesians are very high. We should not treat the case of Siti Hajar as a national issue and more recent Manohara's case. These are cases that need to be looked at in a broader perspective considering there are nearly two million legal and illegal Indonesian workers all over Malaysia. We are the same people and many Malaysians have their origins from many parts of Indonesia. Are we the the kind of people that promote hatred to our neighbours.
Even more recent is about this Ambalat case. We demonstrated infront of Malaysian embassy with banners that carry 'dasar bangsat'. Put ourselves in their shoes and what 'bangsat' means to them and to us. 'Bangsat' is the lowest form of word condemning one's status and to make matters worst we belong to the same people and speak same language. Are we not careful enough to demonstrate our anger. Ambalat case is just about wrong interpretation of sea border and again why are we over reacting?
We should be thankful to a country like Malaysia which is because of her economic wealth has allowed millions of us to be there sharing the economic pie although our presence sometimes create all sorts of social problems which we can't even resolve in our own country. The income that we get may then be sent to our families in this beloved country. We should be grateful that there is Malaysia, whether they like it or not, willing to consider us more than other neighbours. I urge fellow Indonesians to be more rational when dealing with issues arising from 'serumpun' people.

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