"Saudi Arabia needs Indonesian workers who are known to be hard-working and kind."Kuta, Bali (ANTARA News) - Saudi Arabia has asked the Indonesian government to immediately revoke the moratorium on migrant workers.
"That`s because Saudi Arabia needs Indonesian workers who are known to be hard-working and kind," said Rizal Affandi Lukman, Deputy Minister for Economic Cooperation and Coordination of International Finance, Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) with Saudi Arabian businessmen, here on Monday.
He stated that the Saudi Arabian government would guarantee and protect the rights of Indonesian migrant workers during their stay in the country.
"I think the Saudi Arabian businessmen have been trying to improve and protect the rights of the workers during their stay in Saudi Arabia, and the commitment seems serious," Rizal said.
He added that the revocation of the moratorium on migrant workers would provide employment opportunities for the rest of the country to explore the formal sectors, such as services and hospitality.
Many Indonesian citizens come to perform Hajj or Umrah in Saudi Arabia, and the local hotels require skilled professionals to serve the congregation.
"Nearly a third of the congregation who perform the pilgrimage come from Indonesia, so it would be nice if they were served by hotel workers from Indonesia," Rizal explained.
According to him, the number of Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi Arabia is recorded at around 1.5 million people, which created an income of about Rp5.7 trillion during 2011.
(Uu.A050/INE/KR-BSR/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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