"Migrant workers in ASEAN or ASEAN migrant workers outside the region need protection. ASEAN countries also need to open themselves to Indonesian migrant workers (TKIs)," head of the National Agency for Placement and Protection of TKIs Abroad (BNP2TKI), Moh Jumhur Hidayat said here on Friday.
He said that it was important for ASEAN countries to employ more skilled workers from Indonesia. Indonesia had a large number of skilled workers who are ready to be placed in various ASEAN nations.
The Indonesian formal workers, he said, were able to compete in filling employment in the ASEAN manpower market.
During the ASEAN summit, dialogs between the European countries were also to be held to explore comprehensive cooperation agreements.
"Therefore it is just relevant to discuss the placement and protection of migrant workers in the forum," Jumhur said.
He said that ASEAN also constituted a biggest manpower contributor to countries outside the ASEAN region.
So far, only Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei have received Indonesian migrant workers.
The number of Indonesian official migrant workers in Malaysia stood at 917,332, in Singapore 106,000 and in Brunei Darussalam 50,000. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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