Muhaimin Iskandar also said that the government also required each employer planning to employ an Indonesian migrant worker (TKI) overseas, to conduct a selection and verification by the Indonesian embassies in those countries.
"Muhaimin made the statement in Sangata in answer to a question by ANTARA of the fact that Indonesian migrant workers had often been roughly and cruelly handled by their employers," he said in Sangata on Sunday.
He also said the employers are also required to maintain normal communication and contacts by cell phone or any other means of communications, to enable the migrant workers to coordinate and communicate with their families and relatives in Indonesia, and their condition could also become under good control by the Indonesian embassies there.
When asked whether some kind of concrete form of cooperation with the countries of placement had already been reached Muhaimin Iskandar said yes. "Only recently I had talks and meetings with the Saidi government and we are also planning to invite them to Jakarta to talks things over.
Muhaimin Iskandar also said the reason why Indonesian migrant workers had so often still be subjected to violence, because of their lack of quality and preparedness for working abroad.
"They lack of capacity and competence, mental and physical preparedness, in facing the hardship of working abroad," he said.
Being the state`s good foreign exchange earners, the minister said deserved the attention of the government, for that reason cooperation with several countries of placement will be constantly increased in giving them protection.
"The President has asked all Indonesian embassies to watch and control the whereabouts and fate of the Indonesian migrant workers abroad, and one effective way to do this is requiring the employers to maintain and open contracts and communication," he said. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
