In the meantime, the TKIs in Brunei are facing several problems...
Makassar, South Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Indonesian ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Handriyo Kusumo Priyo underlined the need for the immediate signing of the Indonesia-Brunei Darussalam MoU on the placement and protection of Indonesian migrant workers (TKI).

When speaking at a TKI placement and protection national agency (BNP3TKI) working meeting with Indonesian representative offices in Asia Pacific and United States in Makassar on Thursday he said the MoU will better secure the placement and protection of TKIs.

He said the signing of the Mandatory Consular Notification by the Indonesian foreign minister and his Brunei Darussalam counterpart in Bali on July 17 and 18, 2011, needs to be followed up by the signing of an MoU on TKI placement and protection.

He said by June 30, 2011, the number of Indonesian nationals in Brunei reached 52,457.

He said that the number of informal TKIs in Brunei reached 28,302, mostly household maids, and several personal drivers.

The number of formal TKIs in Brunei reached 18,348, consisting of 1,053 oil workers, 10,806 construction workers, 131 industrial workers, six nurses, 343 plantation workers, 368 company drivers, and 5,735 others working in various other sectors.

There are also 3,222 workers in the services sector, 920 professionals and highly skilled workers, and 90 ship crew members.

In the meantime, the TKIs in Brunei are facing several problems.

The manpower problems include for instance, unpaid wages, wages below their working contracts, being cheated by their agencies; immigration problems including overstay; crimes including murder, theft, robbery, and abuse of narcotics; and other problems including sickness, and sexual embarrassment, and rape.

The ambassador said Brunei has no regulation on official foreign worker recruitment agencies, and such recruitment is carried out by personal agencies. (ANT)

Editor: Ade P Marboen
Copyright © ANTARA 2011