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Illegal labor agencies on the rise: Governor
Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika admits his administration has acted slowly in dealing with the ill-treatment of Balinese migrant workers and illegal labor agencies operating on the island
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ali Governor Made Mangku Pastika admits his administration has acted slowly in dealing with the ill-treatment of Balinese migrant workers and illegal labor agencies operating on the island.
He said he had asked the local manpower, transmigration and population office to put migrant workers and illegal labor agencies as its main priority. Pastika told participants at a meeting with the community here that he was sure that cases of abuse against migrant workers had been on the rise recently.
The governor referred to a case of alleged human trafficking involving five young women from Bali. Applying to a labor recruitment agency, the women, graduates of a tourism school in Mengwitani in Badung, were promised jobs in five-star hotels in Malaysia.
They were then taken to an electronics manufacturer who allegedly treated the women badly and withheld their wages.
Head of the province's manpower office, Made Artadana, echoed the governor's sentiment, saying he believed many unregistered companies were working to recruit and labor from Bali to send overseas without proper licenses and permits.
"We would face difficulties in dealing with cases of migrant workers if they did not report any irregularities regarding their recruitment process and terms of employment conditions," Artadana said.
He further said any migrant workers who received unfair treatment or illicit working agreement had to report their cases to his office.
"We would follow up their cases immediately," Artadana added.
There are 39 registered labor agencies operating in Bali, of that number only four have their headquarters on the island.
He said a number of training institutions are now acting as labor agencies, sending students to work abroad.
Ratnawati was a victim of one such unscrupulous labor agency.
When she registered with CV Javindo Putra Utama to work overseas, the company insisted she pay Rp 20 million as a down payment for the Rp 35 million traveling costs and company fees.
"There are 50 other candidates who fell victims, but the local administration took no action against this irresponsible company. *They* still have the nerve to advertise in the local media," said Ratnawati in response to Artadana's pledge to take action against illegal labor agencies.
Governor Pastika called on the manpower, transmigration and population office to work in cooperation with the police and other related institutions to solve the problem.
"We do not want to hear of similar cases happening to other workers. We have to stop and punish any agencies that violate the existing regulation," Pastika said.
Meanwhile, the head of Denpasar's agency for the service, placement and protection of Indonesian migrant workers (BP3TKI), I Putu Kumara Bumijaya, said his agency had received 22 reports involving Indonesian migrant workers up until mid 2010.
"But, most cases involved migrant workers from West and East Nusa Tenggara provinces. We rarely receive reports affecting Balinese workers," he said.
