"(The sanctions will be against) recruiting agencies and not the workers but against the recruiting agencies and (individuals) responsible for them," Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah Noor stated at a press conference here Wednesday.
The ministry will impose heavier sanctions against agencies supplying migrant workers illegally, such as by the revocation of business license or criminal prosecution, he remarked, adding that violating companies will no longer be sanctioned leniently as in the past.
Criminal prosecution could proceed, as non-procedural placement of Indonesian migrants can be classified as human trafficking, he emphasized.
"First, the business license will be revoked, and second, criminal prosecution (will proceed) because the human trafficking crime is subject to legal sanctions," Noor stated.
He pointed out that the ministry is coordinating with the police to follow up on the recent findings of 64 non-procedural Indonesian migrant workers in the Jakarta and Surabaya airports as well as 12 companies in the two cities proven to recruit and place migrant workers illegally.
"The East Java and Greater Jakarta police forces are processing companies involved in the incident. Those companies must be responsible for the (migrant workers') illegal departure. Apart from confiscating their business license, we are determined to impose legal sanction against them," the deputy minister affirmed.
Noor suggested residents seeking to work overseas to register only through agencies recognized by the Manpower Ministry.
Prospective migrant workers should not be tempted by offers of high-paying jobs from parties whose legal status is uncertain because facilities and protection for migrant workers recruited and placed overseas illegally could not be ensured, he explained.
"Everything can happen when they are placed overseas by non-procedural means, and they would not receive the protection, safety, and facilities they ought to receive," Noor remarked.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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