REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration has not yet received the notification letter Saudi Arabia on its decision to halt Indonesian workers, the Director-General of Indonesia’s Labor Placement Development, Reyna Usman says. Government is still waiting the official letter related to the policy issued by Saudi.

The diplomatic process between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, Usman said, showed some progress. Yet, Usman cannot object to the halt of Indonesian workers.

The Department of Manpower in Saudi Arabia Kingdom has halted the recruitment of domestic workers from Indonesia and Philippines since both countries demand some privileges for those working in Saudi Arabia. Usman added, Indonesian government had conducted some monitors towards worker agencies. The worker agencies cannot send Indonesia workers to Saudi Arabia due to the moratorium policy. 

The Ministry even conducted some campaigns in not sending the unprepared and unskillful Indonesian workers. In moratorium period, both countries had the right momentum to repair the agreement and laws related to foreign workers.

The policy analyst Migrant Care, Wahyu Susilo, said the Saudi Arabia decision to halt the import showed Indonesian government did not commit to the moratorium and on contrary, still sending some Indonesian workers to Saudi Arabia.

“Saudi Arabia still received Indonesian workers in post-moratorium period on August 2011. It means that the import was conducted secretly,” he said.

Susilo asked the related authorities to check the data of Indonesian workers import to Saudi Arabia from August 2011 until recently. He presumes many went to Saudi Arabia after transiting in other countries such as United Arab Emirates or Oman.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Muhaimin Iskandar said Indonesia was optimistic to stop sending workers in domestic sector in 2017. He said that it was a part of a quality improvement of Indonesian workers who would work abroad. In a press release, Iskandar said the decision had been assessed thoroughly. Yet, the government would not hinder any Indonesians who are willing to work abroad. “That would against human rights,” he said.

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