In order to provide legality to the migrant workers, the KJRI not only provided the service of passport replacement at the Consulate General's Office in Kuching but also directly visited their workplaces, especially in palm companies. The service was offered every Saturday and Sunday at a predetermined schedule.
"We coordinate with a Malaysian palm oil company that employs many PMIs in Sarawak," Indonesia's Consul General in Kuching Raden Sigit Witjaksono stated.
This method helps PMIs since they do not have to go to KJRI’s office. It also offers free-of-charge and short service time.
Before offering the method, KJRI had sought information from the palm oil company regarding data of migrant workers in their company and their needs to receive passport replacement service.
The company then sent complete data input of PMIs working in the company through the system owned by the KJRI's immigration. When the consulate officers arrived at the palm oil company, they would immediately serve the migrant workers that were only required to take their photos and wait for the passport printing process to finish.
This method was immensely beneficial for migrant workers in the palm oil company that was located far from the Consulate General's office in Kuching. Some of the palm oil companies where PMIs work can take up more than 20 hours for a trip to the Consulate General’s office.
With the distance that far, it will take more than four days just to arrange a passport replacement to the Consulate General, not to mention the costs incurred while applying for a passport, starting from the cost for meals, transportation, and others.
In addition, the KJRI in Kuching provides consular services to protect PMIs embroiled in legal cases and employment-related cases.
With this program, apart from easing PMI's burden, the companies where PMIs work are also helped.
The Immigration Technical Staff of the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching, Ronny Fajar Purba, stated that the passport replacement service by visiting PMIs’ workplaces was conducted regularly. Almost all palm oil companies in Sarawak, Malaysia, had cooperated with the Indonesian Consulate General.
To determine the schedule, palm oil companies in Sarawak will put forth a request with KJRI to receive direct service for passport replacement for their PMIs.
Since the number of applicants is quite large, the Consulate General will schedule the service time on weekends.
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays were selected to serve as direct passport replacements to palm oil companies located far from Kuching. Thus, routine services at the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching were not hindered.
From January to the end of September 2022, the KJRI had offered passport replacement services to 5,500 PMI and Community Learning Center (CLC) students and aided the issuance of travel passport letter (SPLP) for children of PMIs.
As on Sunday, October 9, the KJRI also provided passport replacement services for 208 PMIs, who worked for the Krisjati Group Tradewinds in Sarawak.
PMIs receiving service
PMI from Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, Awang, who works at the palm oil company, along with his colleagues employed in the same company are facilitated by the services provided by KJRI Kuching. They praise the efforts made by KJRI to protect them.
This service shows that PMIs located far away and in other countries still receive legal attention and protection from the Indonesian government.
“This service is certainly very helpful and makes it easier for us to work here. We feel safe and are not considered as illegal PMIs,” Awang stated.
Meanwhile, PMI from Makassar, Irfan, who works at Sarawak Oil Palmas Berhad, stated that the services from KJRI Kuching are immensely helpful for migrant workers.
If PMIs had to visit the Consulate General's Office in Kuching, they would have to leave work for three days and pay for the trip as well. The other aspect is the safety factor during the trip from work to Kuching, as in Irfan's case, it may take up about 15 hours by bus.
With the services provided by KJRI Kuching at the PMI's workplaces, they feel like they are in their own country, as the Indonesian government is still paying attention to them.
Through this activity, PMIs not only obtain passport document services but also receive attention for various aspects, such as handling in various problems and receive education service for their children, who follow their parents in palm oil plantation companies.
CO Senior Manager of Sarawak Oil Palmas Berhad, Lau Shi Wen, stated that his company was greatly assisted by the service carried out by KJRI in Kuching.
He said that the service brought advantages for the company and its 10 thousand PMIs since they did not have to waste time and spend a large amount of money on passport replacement.
Apart from providing a place for passport replacement service, the company also readies educational facilities in the form of CLC for Indonesian children whose parents work for the plantation company.
The cooperation between KJRI in Kuching and the company offers expediency for Indonesian migrant workers. The convenience provided to PMIs is expected to boost their work productivity.
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Translator: Andilala&Slamet A, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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