JAKARTA – Indonesia’s Presidential Staff office urged for the placement of workers in Malaysia to be resolved immediately, considering their significant contribution to the stability and development of the country’s economy.
Presidential Staff office Expert Staff Fadjar Dwi Wisnuwardhani said the immediate resolution of the problem will also strengthen the workers’ protection and increase the opportunities for Indonesians to work.
Malaysia is one of the most important countries for the placement of Indonesian workers, with 1.6 million of them in the plantation and manufacturing sectors and as domestic workers, he said, as reported by the Antara news agency.
According to Antara, Bank Indonesia data showed the remittances from Indonesian workers to Indonesia prior to the Covid-19 pandemic were around US$3 billion or RM13.4 trillion per year.
Indonesia temporarily froze the entry of workers into Malaysia on July 13 when it found that Malaysia was still using channels other than the “One Channel System” – which is a breach of the memorandum of understanding (MoU).
However, Fadjar said he believes Malaysia still respects the MoU because Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has instructed the Home Affairs Ministry and Human Resources Ministry to resolve the issue in Malaysia. – Bernama, July 25, 2022
