Head Of BP2MI: Indonesian Migrant Workers Contribute Foreign Exchange To The State Rp159.6 Trillion

JAKARTA - Head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) Benny Rhamdani said Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) have donated foreign exchange of more than Rp. 100 trillion annually to the state.

"Indonesian Migrant Workers give foreign exchange to the state of Rp. 159.6 trillion, it is donated by them to this country," Benny told reporters in Jakarta, Monday, May 15.

Benny said this was based on data or calculations by Bank Indonesia (BI).

"That's BI data, not BP2MI calculations carelessly, BI data every year," he said.

Even so, he regretted that the Indonesian government was considered less serious about paying attention to these PMIs.

This, said Benny, can be seen from a number of facilities that have not been fully supported by the government.

"That's true, I want those who leave every year to be approximately 270,000 (people), yes, just free by the state, don't pay for passports, pay for visas, medical check-ups, psychological tests, including plane tickets, they are, actually the majority do not have the economic ability to pay these costs," he explained.

That way, he continued, PMIs must also pawn old people's house certificates, pawn two-wheeled vehicle BPKBs, or borrow from moneylenders at high interest risk.

"That must end because it is part of the structural suppression experienced by prospective workers," he said.

According to Benny, the state should be able to facilitate each PMI of Rp. 30 million, so that around 270,000 PMIs that will be dispatched to foreign countries each year can get serious support.

"Earlier, the illustration was that they were prepared 30 million by the state, 270 thousand (people) per year, right, only Rp. 8.2 trillion, and Rp. 8.2 trillion issued by the country was small, because they returned Rp. 159.6 trillion," he concluded.