Speaking to the press at the Parliament`s press room, here on Friday, Priyo said he was surprised that around 218 migrants workers are currently facing execution after being sentenced to death.
He urged the government to be serious in giving protection to the migrant workers by providing them lawyers since the beginning.
"For the costs of obtaining lawyers to give legal advises, the government could propose a budget to the DPR, and we will make sure that the DPR will approve the proposal," he said.
The lawmaker said he was happy that the government had set up a task for on the protection of migrant workers.
However, he felt sad because the task force could not move forward as expected.
"We want the task force to move far forward of the problems being faced," he said.
Meanwhile, a number of lawmakers from different factions and commissions have agreed to for a Parliamentarian Caucus for Migrant Worker Protection.
Among legislators present in the declaration of the caucus were Rieke Dyah Pitaloka (from PDIP faction), Ledia Hanifa (PKS), Rizki Sadiq (PAN), Eva Sundari (PDIP) and Teguh juwarno (PAN).
"Similar caucuses also exist in parliaments of other countries sending migrant workers overseas," Rieke said.
The caucus is expected to help find comprehensive solution to the migrant worker problems.
The government plans to send a team to Saudi Arabia to lobby certain parties in the Middle Eastern country in order to obtain legal relief for seven Indonesian migrant workers on death row.
The four-member team would leave for Saudi Arabia on October 16 and stay there for a week, Muhammad Maftuh Basyuni, the head of the Task Force on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, said here on Thursday.
Basyuni, former religious affairs minister, will be accompanied by Lisna Yoeliana Poeloengan, Benny Partiwanggono and Ramon Andrias, members of the task force, during the mission in Saudi Arabia.
(Uu.F001/HAJM)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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