Jakarta (ANTARA) - On account to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) instructed relevant ministries to take precautionary measures for the return of 34 thousand Indonesian migrant workers, whose work contract will end in May and June.

"In connection with the return of Indonesian migrant workers, I have received a report that the work contract of some 34 thousand Indonesian migrant workers will end in May and June," Jokowi stated during a videoconference on the acceleration of COVID-19 handling at the Merdeka Palace here on Monday.

Of the 34 thousand migrant workers, some 8,900 originated from East Java, 7,400 from Central Java, 5,800 from West Java, 4,200 from West Nusa Tenggara, 2,800 from North Sumatra, 1,800 from Lampung, and 500 from Bali.

"Precautionary measures must be taken against this, and adequate preparations must be made. We should handle their arrival through certain entry gates and monitor their movement to their hometowns," he noted.

The government has made necessary preparations at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang and I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali as the entry gates for migrant workers using air transportation.

Benoa Port in Bali and Tanjung Balai Port in North Sumatra will function as the entry gates for Indonesians working in cruise ships.

Migrant workers keen on returning from Malaysia can use the entry gates in Batam and Tanjung Balai.

"I stressed on the need to impose a strict health protocol and mobilize our human resources to handle this. We will ensure preparedness in terms of the quarantine and referral hospital for our migrant workers," the president stated.

Earlier last week, Head of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Covid-19 Response Doni Monardo stated that 70,367 Indonesian migrant workers had returned to Indonesia.

President Jokowi had commanded the Task Force and relevant ministries and institutions to prepare certain points of debarkation to facilitate conducting health observations in advance. The migrant workers might also be placed in isolation over the virus outbreak. Related news: Over 70 thousand Indonesian migrant workers return home amid COVID-19
Related news: Embassy facilitates return of 98 migrant workers from Brunei


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Translator: Rangga Pandu AJ, Sri Haryati
Editor: Suharto
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