Minister Karding Checks PMI Homecoming Services At Soetta Airport

JAKARTA - Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Minister (P2MI) Abdul Kadir Karding checked the readiness of Soekarno Hatta Airport (Soetta), Tangerang, Banten, Saturday (29/3), in order to welcome Indonesian migrant workers who are going home for Lebaran 2025.

"Ensuring that the services of the Ministry of P2MI and BP3MI in Banten are really ready to accept and regulate Indonesian migrant workers who return home before and after Lebaran," he said at Soetta Airport, as released by KP2MI press, Jakarta, Saturday.

To ensure the readiness of Soetta Airport to deal with the homecoming flow of people working abroad, Minister Karding checked a number of facilities and infrastructure such as special lounges for Indonesian migrant workers.

Meanwhile, to maximize services to ensure that Indonesian migrant workers are served optimally at Soetta Airport in the middle of returning to their hometowns, Minister Karding said his party had implemented additional shifts.

"We are preparing 3 shifts. D-5 Lebaran to D+10 Lebaran to anticipate this," said Minister Karding.

Until early March 2025, the number of Indonesian migrant workers returning to Indonesia reached 2,837 people. Most of them came from Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam.

Of the total migrant workers who returned home, 80 percent were recorded as un-procedural or illegal. "But because of the Indonesian people, we serve all of them and we make sure they go home," said Minister Karding.

On that occasion, Minister Karding also took the time to talk with a number of Indonesian migrant workers who worked in Malaysia and Japan.

Minister Karding asked many of those who work as caregivers or elderly caregivers, to find out the extent of protection and compensation that Indonesian migrant workers have obtained so far to be the evaluation material.

"Sorry, it's like a journalist," he said, greeted by laughter from Indonesian migrant workers who were in a special lounge at Soetta Airport.

In discussing with those who work in Japan through procedural channels, Minister Karding obtained salary information received reaching Rp. 15 million to Rp. 20 million per month. They also get other benefits, namely health insurance, employment to pension funds.

Minister Karding then reminded people who want to work abroad to take legal channels to avoid threats of exploitation, sexual violence to the dangers of organized crime.

By becoming a legal migrant worker, the government can also easily reach out to provide health and legal guarantees.

"If we work procedurally, of course there are many benefits that our migrant workers can feel," said Minister Karding.