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Govt to improve system for Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong
The government is looking to improve the immigration system used to send Indonesian workers to work in Hong Kong in light of complaints of legal problems caused to a number of migrant workers by the current Immigration Management and Information System (SIMKIM).
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In legal problems – Indonesian migrant workers, who mostly work as domestic helpers, queue to cast their votes during the 2014 elections in a square in Hong Kong. (Setkab.go.id/-)
T
he government is looking to improve the immigration system used to send Indonesian workers to work in Hong Kong in light of complaints of legal problems caused to a number of migrant workers by the current Immigration Management and Information System (SIMKIM).
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi and Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly met with Hong Kong officials and stakeholders in the city on Thursday to discuss the implementation of SIMKIM.
"The President has asked me and the law and human rights minister to take strategic steps to address the side effects of the implementation of SIMKIM," Retno said during a meeting with Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong, according to a statement released by the ministry on Friday.
The ministers met with Hong Kong acting chief executive John Tsang to discuss improvements to the new system.
Indonesian migrant workers have complained that SIMKIM causes long delay times in the creation of passports as it requires them to go back and forth to Indonesian representative offices; the system has also caused a number of migrant workers to face legal problems by the Hong Kong authorities over mismatched data.
The Foreign Ministry has assigned an additional team for immigration services, while the Law and Human Rights Ministry has sent additional SIMKIM equipment in an attempt to resolve the issue, Retno said.
During the meeting with Tsang, Retno and Yasonna urged the Hong Kong authorities to refrain from prosecuting any migrant workers involved in cases of passport data changes.
Further, the government is also committed to improving passport services to its citizens by carrying out technological innovations at the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Hong and simplifying processes.
"The implementation of SIMKIM is part of government efforts to improve security in passport production and to ensure that Indonesian passports meet international standards," Yasonna told the assembled migrant workers. (rin)
